Fires, heatwaves, floods: in the Pyrénées-Orientales, firefighters on a prevention mission

The figure is bandied about every summer: nine out of ten fires are of human origin. So, to fight against the flames, whose voracity and frequency continue to increase due to global warming , prevention is essential. In the Pyrénées-Orientales, the firefighters of the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS 66) are thus directing their workshops – the rest of the year focused on flooding or first aid – towards the risks associated with fires. This Friday, July 4, around ten professionals were present at the "Prevention Village" set up in the heart of the town of Céret, to raise awareness among residents.

Since 2023, the SDIS 66 has been crisscrossing the coast and more mountainous areas to offer these workshops to the entire department. For fires, prevention campaigns are also broadcast on local radio stations and messages appear on advertising screens, visible almost everywhere. A way of reaching everyone: "Tourists are not necessarily aware of the risks in the department. These are questions that, depending on where they come from, they are not