There will be no Canadians based in Mont-de-Marsan. The Landes department announced it and deplores the decision of the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau. Its president, Xavier Fortinon, denounces a “renunciation” of the state.
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The decision is made: there will be no Canadians based in the Landes. At least, “for the moment“. The installation of a new specialized air base in Mont-de-Marsan will not be done. The project, estimated at 318 million euros, nevertheless promised better responsiveness in the fight against forest fires.
Less than three years after the mega fires in the summer of 2022 in Gironde, the decision is struggling to pass. “Bruno Retailleeau this nun“, Reports Xavier Fortinon. The socialist president of the Department of Landes displays his dissatisfaction, following the letter of the Minister of the Interior who “Brows the promises of Gérald Darmanin and Geneviève Darrieussecq”.
The installation of a second lasting air base in the South West is not planned for the moment.
Bruno RetailleauMinister of the Interior in a letter to Xavier Fortinon
In a press release, Xavier Fortinon denounces “a reversal” of the State which had nevertheless assured, in August 2023, not far from the still smoking ashes of the Teste-de-Buch or Landiras fires, that the necessary means would be organized so that such claims do not happen again.
On August 2, 2023, Gérard Darmanin had made announcements in Libourne concerning the creation of a future air base. • © Fabien Cottereau / Maxppp
Xavier Fortinon refers to this announcement of August 2, 2023, in Girondin lands. That day, in Libourne, we were delighted with the next location of the unit of intervention and instruction of civil security. This is where “Gérald Darmanin announced the installation in Mont-de-Marsan of a second air base in addition to that of Nîmes“, for which we even studied the choice of devices that would be based there.
“The promises are said to be committed only to those who listen to them “regrets Xavier Fortinon in his press release. “”More In terms of public action, this always has consequences “. On the ground, in the departments concerned by the forest problem and global warming, the new risk of not being most popular.
This speaks volumes about the real interest that this government has and its support for the protection of the Landes forest massif and the security of our fellow citizens.
Xavier FortinonPresident of the Landes Department
Frédéric Dutin, Departmental Advisor to the Landes (PS) • © France 3 Aquitaine
“We are on a double failure“For his part, Frédéric Dutin, Departmental Advisor to the Landes who has not forgotten the first installation of a civil security unit forebod in his town, for which we preferred Libourne in Gironde. A first disappointment to which is added an economic failure, because this establishment would have had beneficial consequences with the arrival of families coming to energize the territory.
Watch out for fires. Illustration photo • © Alice Târ
The departmental advisor says he thinks, above all, “The impact on our territory“, one of the largest forest massifs in Europe, and considers this renunciation as a form of contempt.
The government neglects men and women who fight against fires.
SinusDepartmental Advisor (PS) of the Landes
Historical fires in Gironde, witnesses of the vulnerability of the forest while global warming, accompanied by drought, marks the territory. • © SDIS 33
France has only one basis for these planes specializing in air control against forest fires. These water bombers (Canadair, Dash) or Liaison and Coordination Aircraft (Beechcraft) are based in Nîmes. This lengthens the time of responsiveness and intervention of these devices when fires declare themselves in the southwest of the country … Precisely where the largest forest massif in mainland France is located, but also one of the largest population basins, especially in summer.
“The Canadair, we will wait for them to arrive …” Breaths Frédéric Dutin, who assures that the Landes department will continue to support its SDIS. “We will assume the protection of Landes and Landes” He maintains, before recalling that the first moments of a fire are the most important to avoid spreading.
Member of the government at the time and current deputy of the first district of the Landes, Geneviève Darrieussecq, strongly supported the project. Contacted by our journalists, she did not follow up on our requests.
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