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, in the Pyrénées-Orientales. Fanned by adverse weather conditions, the fire spread rapidly, crossing the River Têt and spreading to the Le Brasilia and Le Marina campsites, as well as the Catana industrial estate in Canet-en-Roussillon.
Follow the fire live
Rapid spread and mass evacuations
Fanned by the tramontane wind, the fire also crossed the RD 81 departmental road, further complicating rescue operations. The municipal emergency plans (PCS) for both towns were activated at around 2.00 pm to organise the evacuations.
- The 250 residents of the Le Sainte-Marie campsite were evacuated to the village hall.
- 500 people from the Le Brasilia and Le Marina campsites in Canet-en-Roussillon were directed to the North Beach. A ferry service was set up to transport the campers to the Moudat centre.
- Employees at the port of Canet and on the peninsula, as well as the 250 staff members of the Catana company, were also evacuated.
At this stage, no injuries have been reported, according to the prefecture.
Exceptional resources deployed to bring the flames under control
To tackle this fire, 215 firefighters have been mobilised, along with 35 fire engines, a Dash aircraft, a water-bombing helicopter and two Condor helicopters.
The gendarmerie are also on the scene to secure the area. The RD81 is closed between Canet-en-Roussillon and Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque, and the water police are actively involved in the evacuation operations.
The situation remains critical
The situation remains serious: the fire, still driven by the tramontane wind, is spreading south-east towards the port area. The Prefect of the Pyrénées-Orientales, Pierre Regnault de la Mothe, has visited the scene and issued a call for vigilance:
- Follow the instructions of the fire brigade and the gendarmerie.
- Avoid the area to allow the emergency services to carry out their work.
- Do not overload the emergency lines with non-essential calls.
- Obtain information only from official sources and do not spread false information.
The risk of fire is particularly high today in the department, requiring everyone to be extra vigilant.