The fire which burned more than 930 hectares in Cerbères, in the Pyrénées Orientales, was brought under control by firefighters overnight from Sunday to Monday. Firefighters remain on the alert in the face of the risk of resumption of fire.
The flames swallowed 931 hectares in the Pyrénées Orientales in one day. In Cerbère and Banyuls-sur-Mer, the fire broke out on Sunday morning around 9:30 a.m. and gained ground until the night of Sunday to Monday before being brought under control by firefighters around 2 a.m. 511 firefighters are still mobilized because the work is far from over before the fire is extinguished, said Arnaud Wilm, spokesman for Civil Security at France Bleu: “The fire is currently under control, it’s to say that the most important flames are extinguished, but its spread is not fixed”. If it is still necessary to dominate the advance of the flames, the firefighters must be vigilant to the risks of resumptions while the tramontane is still blowing in the department. “The major risks have been removed, there is no longer any danger for the population. The hardest part is over. Today, the wind should drop”, reassured the spokesperson, noting all the same the weather forecasts which announce gusts up to 60 km/h.
The Cerbère fire is the first major forest fire of the year 2023. The flames have burned hundreds of hectares and have been seen from afar as seen in civil protection images and amateur videos. A wall of fire rose above the treetops and thick clouds of smoke formed. In surrounding towns such as Portbou, Spain, the fire has colored the sky orange.
It was in Banyuls-sur-Mer that the fire started before advancing towards Cerbère, a town located further down the Vermeille coast, in the Pyrenees Orientales. The fire continued its course to Spain crossing the border. The fire is under control on both sides this Monday morning.
