A violent fire broke out on Thursday 2 July 2026 shortly before 2.00 pm at the Le Sainte-Marie Campsite, in Sainte-Marie-la-Mer (Pyrénées-Orientales). In particularly adverse weather conditions – a strong tramontane and high temperatures –, the flames quickly spread to neighbouring campsites The Brasilia and The Marina, as well as the industrial estate in Catana, in Canet-en-Roussillon.
Follow the fire live
30 hectares burnt, infrastructure under threat
At 6.00 pm, the area affected by the fire was estimated at 30 hectares. On the company’s website Catana, which specialises in shipbuilding, a the building was hit and a the industrial building remains under threat. Firefighters are currently actively working to contain the fire, in a situation made more difficult by the weather conditions and a chemical risk related to the presence of a classified facility (ICPE).
Casualty figures: minor injuries and mass evacuations
As for the human toll, six civilians, including one child, were treated for minor injuries. A volunteer firefighter was also slightly injured as a result of the blast from an explosion. Two municipal police officers acting as first responders were treated at the scene for mild cases of poisoning.
Given the scale of the disaster, the authorities carried out theevacuation of 1,700 people, including the residents of the three campsites in question and all Catana staff. Among those evacuated, 10 people with reduced mobility were taken care of. The evacuation of the beach was completed at 4.45 pm, whilst emergency shelters have been set up in several towns (Sainte-Marie-la-Mer, Canet-en-Roussillon, Le Barcarès and Torreilles) to accommodate those affected by the disaster.
An unprecedented mobilisation of emergency services
The resources deployed are considerable: 215 firefighters, 35 land vehicles, a water-bombing helicopter, two Condors and reinforcements are on their way. However, the Canadairs are not being deployed, as the area was deemed too dangerous due to strong winds. Furthermore, two SNSM lifeboats (30 people in total) and buses from Perpignan Méditerranée Métropole were deployed to assist with the evacuations, particularly those of vulnerable people.
To safeguard the belongings of those being evacuated, some gendarmerie patrols have been deployed around the mobile homes and the disaster-stricken areas. The commercial traffic at Perpignan Airport has been temporarily suspended, with three flights cancelled or diverted in the afternoon.
Risk of spread and strict guidelines
The situation remains highly sensitive, with a risk of the fire spreading towards the businesses at the port of Canet-en-Roussillon. The authorities are calling on the public to follow the instructions to the letter :
- Avoid the area (the The RD81 is closed (between Canet-en-Roussillon and Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque);
- Do not go to the scene, even to collect belongings or a relative;
- Keep the main roads clear for the emergency services;
- Do not overload the emergency numbers;
- Keep up to date with official information.
A Medical and Psychological Emergency Unit (CUMP) was activated at 6.30 pm and deployed to two locations (Sainte-Marie-la-Mer and Torreilles) to assist those who had been evacuated.
Activating backup plans
The municipal emergency plans (PCS) in Sainte-Marie-la-Mer and Canet-en-Roussillon were activated at 2.00 pm, followed by the one in Torreilles at 4.00 pm. The departmental operations centre (COD) has been on alert since 2.15 pm, and the Inter-municipal Conservation Plan (PICS) was activated at 3.30 pm. All relevant government departments, the departmental authorities, local councils and accredited civil protection organisations are fully mobilised to support those affected by the disaster.