The massive fire that ravaged the Corbières The outbreak, which began on Tuesday, is now ‘under control’, the [organisation] announced on Sunday Aude Prefecture during a press briefing in Lézignan-Corbières. “The fire is now under control. However, this still means we must remain on high alert. We must be fully mobilised; we must hold firm and not let up,” said Amélie Trioux, chief of staff to the Prefect of Aude.
The 1,300 firefighters still on duty spent the night and the morning tackling minor flare-ups, in conditions made difficult by temperatures exceeding 37 °C, low humidity and a hot, dry wind blowing at up to 50 km/h.
Conditions that remain risky
Despite the good news, Sunday remained a challenging day, due to the return of a strong tramontane wind and the issuance of a red heatwave alert from 4 pm.
To minimise the risks, an order prohibiting any activity in the Corbières mountains remains in force.
Distinctive landscapes and enhanced resources
In a landscape that is usually lush and green, the scars of the fire are everywhere: burnt-out houses, charred expanses, destroyed vineyards.
The Civil Protection report states that 16,000 hectares affected, of which 13,000 were burnt, 36 houses destroyed and more than twenty farm sheds burnt to the ground. In total, 3,000 buildings were successfully protected thanks to the coordinated efforts of the ground teams and the new tracks cleared by bulldozers to provide access to the steepest areas.
A heavy death toll and an ongoing investigation
The incident claimed the life of a 65-year-old woman, left one resident with severe burns and caused minor injuries to four other people. As for the emergency services, 19 firefighters were injured, one of whom had suffered a head injury.