The mountain is burning but without danger
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Prescribed burns or controlled burning are part of the important missions of firefighters. In Ariège, nearly 500 burnings are declared each year by breeders and farmers, more than 500 hectares are burned with the assistance of firefighters, under close supervision. A large-scale exercise took place on the heights of Larnat in the presence of numerous personalities including Delphine Lemaire, chief of staff of the prefect in charge in particular of security. Under bright sunshine, around twenty trained firefighters started the fire in the bush, then monitored its progress. The owner of the plots concerned was also there. “This type of mission saves us every year from having to commit significant human and material resources to fight brush and forest fires started without any authorization and which often present great dangers,” explains a firefighter, trained in these prescribed burns. These burnings are governed by a prefectural decree, and therefore regulated. You don't become a fire professional by chance. Any burning must be declared to the prefecture. This process allows mountain professionals to work better together, to preserve biodiversity and above all to avoid ecological disasters. Solidly equipped, armed with all-terrain water carriers, bats, picks, shovels, the firefighters demonstrated once again, on the heights of Larnat, that they were capable of supporting breeders and farmers, working without risks. The more surface area burned, the less risk of fire.
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