Arles: major vegetation fire near a shopping center, 70 hectares burned

The fire started in the late morning in a commercial area near the fire station. A strong wind complicates the intervention of the latter. A vegetation fire broke out this Thursday morning in the town of Arles, behind a Casino supermarket, the Bouches-du-Rhône firefighters told BFM Marseille Provence. This natural space fire in the Cap Fourchon commercial area burned 70 hectares and mobilized 180 firefighters. The fire is now “fixed” and “flooding operations” are underway at the end of the day according to the firefighters of the Bouches-du-Rhone. A device will remain in place overnight from Thursday to Friday. Several homes were affected. At the microphone of BFMTV, the mayor of Arles Patrick de Carolis affirmed that they were “less than ten” to be concerned. “We have a certain number of houses which have burned down and we are taking care of the inhabitants to find out where they will be accommodated this evening”, he continued Electricity cut Earlier in the day, the town hall of Arles indicated that a DIY store was affected by the fire and had to be evacuated . Several shops in the commercial area have been closed. For security reasons, electricity was also cut in the surrounding neighborhoods, the town hall said. Traffic was also disrupted on the N113 due to reduced visibility due to smoke. Around 2 p.m., the firefighters announced the closure of the axis in both directions. Traffic was also blocked on the N568. The intervention complicated by the wind Many firefighters were hired to control the fire, which spread near the fire station. A gusting wind of 63 km/h complicates the intervention of firefighters. A water bomber helicopter and a Dash were mobilized. The firefighters recommended that residents avoid the area, especially on the side of the Vallée des Baux canal, in order to facilitate the intervention. more difficult on the N113. Traffic is also blocked on the N568. © Fire Chaser 13Authorities had warned at the start of the week of the significant risk of fires throughout the Southeast due to the high temperatures and winds expected until Sunday. The firefighters had also recalled common sense gestures in this high-risk period: do not throw away cigarette butts, do not undertake work that could cause fires to start or do not barbecue close to vegetation. Cindy Chevaux and Nicolas Dumas