Like every year at this time, an operation to secure the Yeuseraie forest massif, which covers 10,000 hectares between Rochefort-du-Gard, Valliaguières, Saint-Victor-la-Coste and Lirac, was carried out this Saturday under the leadership of the Roquemaure-Rochefort brigade community.
“This is a joint operation, coordinated, with the town hall of Rochefort, that of Lirac, agents of the OFB, the ONF, the municipal police and the gendarmerie”, presents Lieutenant Samuel Blachon, commander of the community of brigades. Six gendarmes, two municipal police officers, two ONF agents, two OFB agents and three elected officials, including the mayors of Rochefort Rémy Bachevalier and Lirac Cédric Clemente, who is also president of the Single-Vocation Intercommunal Union (SIVU). ) from Yeuseraie, participated. An operation therefore carried out after June 15, the date of entry into force of the prefect’s decree prohibiting in particular the use of fire in the forest until September 15.
“The interest in carrying it out at the start of summer is to ensure our presence on the massif to deter bad behaviorcontinues Lieutenant Blachon. We are talking about inappropriate use of motorized vehicles, which generate accidents, damage to the area, and the risk of fire. » First problem, motorized vehicles. “We realize that unfortunately, we have acts of incivility, with motorized vehicles, such as motorcycles and quads, which seriously degrade certain trails”explains Cédric Clemente, while the SIVU de l’Yeuseraie, which manages 95 kilometers of DFCI trails, dedicated to firefighters, has invested “1.8 million euros in 12 years on the slopes”he recalls.
Another obvious danger: fire, and not just from absent-minded smokers. “There are barbecues, it happens, often at the water’s edgeexplains Pascal Guenot, from the NFB. That’s why it’s important to show yourself. And contrary to popular belief, it is often locals who make fires. We must not forget that 95% of fires are of human origin. »
This operation, seen as preventive, can also turn out to be repressive: last year, two fine stamps of 135 euros were issued to two motorcyclists. This year, no fines were drawn up, and around ten forest users were made aware between Rochefort and Lirac. “When in the forest users encounter a deployment on the ground, it speaks and we say to ourselves that the forest must be respected and sharedadds Rémy Bachevalier. It deters. »
