with 206 fires, the number of forest fires down this year

with 206 fires, the number of forest fires down this year
with 206 fires, the number of forest fires down this year

The 2024 season saw the number of forest hectares gone up in smoke drop drastically compared to previous years. 223 hectares of vegetation were affected by fires.

2024, a year of respite for the forests of the Bouches-du-Rhône department. According to a report released by the prefect this Monday, November 25, last season was less marked by forest fires. This year, the vegetation was actually more spared from the fires.

In 2024, 206 forest fires have been recorded. The flames covered a total of 223 hectares. For comparison, the forest massifs of Bouches-du-Rhône extend over an approximate total of 175,000 hectares.

“During the 2024 season, thanks to a period of favorable soil recharge and a rainy spring, the risk of fire was relatively contained, in a context of moderate drought and a limited number of days of strong winds,” explains the prefect in his press release.

Compared to 2023, the prefect evokes a “clear reduction” in fires, this being however more nuanced than, compared to 2022, at the departmental level. Two years ago, during an exceptionally fire season, 477 fires destroyed 1,830 hectares of vegetation.

More precisely in , only 3.4 hectares of vegetation went up in smoke in 2024, compared to a total of 26.1 hectares in 2023 with 263 fires.

Prevention, another essential element of the good figures for 2024

In addition to the more humid climatic context, this reduction in the number of fires for this 2024 season is to be attributed to several other determining factors according to the prefect.

The latter particularly highlights the increased prevention carried out by the various forces on the ground, ranging from fire services to agents of the National Forestry Office, but also to civil security, gendarmes and police officers, or even to municipal committees and forest fire reserves (CCFF).

“A monitoring and intervention system for emerging fires has been set up in six forests in the department, with 2,375 patrols bringing together the SDIS, the BMPM, the ONF, the forest sappers and the CCFF for 476 lookouts. In 2024 , the forest sappers covered 235,000 kilometers as part of this system,” specifies the prefecture.

As a reminder, according to studies carried out since 2009 by the research unit into the causes and circumstances of fires (RCCI) in the department, 65% of forest fires are caused accidentally.

“Among the causes of fires, we note in particular a lack of extinguishing means for public works professionals and individuals for their work. The extinguishing devices allow everyone to react very quickly from the first flames”, underlines the prefect of Bouches-du-Rhône.

Alexis Lalemant Journalist

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