"Very high" risk: Bouches-du-Rhône on red alert for forest fires this Sunday

The Bouches-du-Rhône region will once again be on red alert for forest fires on Sunday, with a "very high" risk of fires starting due to stronger winds, according to Météo-France's warning this Friday, August 1.

From Saturday, all forest areas in the department will be strictly closed to access, the prefecture announced.

According to Météo-France, the mistral and tramontane winds are expected to strengthen this weekend , "up to 70 to 80 km/h at peak speeds, maintaining a high level of fire danger around the Mediterranean."

For Saturday, eight departments in the south-east of France, including Corsica, are on orange alert for forest fires, seven for Sunday.

In addition to Bouches-du-Rhône, several prefectures have announced the closure of numerous forest areas for the weekend, as has been the case regularly since mid-July.

In the Var department, the prefecture announced the closure of eight forest areas for this Saturday, citing a "very severe fire risk." These are the Sainte-Baume, Haut-Var, Corniche des Maures, Maures, Centre-Var, Estérel, Mont Toulonnais, and Îles d'Hyères mountain ranges. Local authorities also warned that two rest areas on the A57 will be closed.

In the second half of the month, the mistral and tramontane winds, coupled with heat and drought, encouraged the outbreak of significant fires, particularly in Aude and Bouches-du-Rhône.

Halfway through the summer season, Civil Security has already counted more than 15,000 hectares burned across the entire national territory, with 9,000 fires starting since the beginning of the year, mainly on the Mediterranean coast.