A fire broke out on Saturday 1 August 2026 in Bayons, in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, after a tyre burst on a vehicle that was driving on its rim. The sparks caused by the burst tyre are believed to have started the fire, which had already spread across 95 hectares by the evening of Tuesday 4 August.
The driver, a 20-year-old man from Dignes who works as a delivery driver, was taken into police custody according to Provence. An investigation has been launched by the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence Public Prosecutor’s Office into the unintentional destruction of property by fire, arising from a breach of safety and duty of care obligations. The investigation has been entrusted to the gendarmerie.
A complex operation due to the terrain
Firefighters in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence are continuing their battle against the flames, in conditions made difficult by the terrain and frequent rockfalls. These rockfalls endanger the firefighters and are helping the fire to spread uphill.
On Tuesday 4 August, a significant flare-up was observed on both flanks of the fire. To tackle this, around thirty strategic water drops were carried out by the two Civil Protection helicopters. A strategy was also drawn up for Wednesday 5 August, including the creation of a firebreak on the left flank using an ONF bulldozer.
According to the authorities, the area affected by the fire stood at 95 hectares on Tuesday evening.