In Mont-Dore, the fire continues to spread in the plain of the Battlefield, between the Prony factory and the Blue River. This Friday, January 3, at midday, more than 500 hectares had already burned. Olivier Berthelot, deputy mayor of Mont-Dore, expresses his concern.
“It's just unbearable to see our nature go up in smoke with all the consequences it has on biodiversity and water resources.”, therefore on our health, launches Olivier Berthelot, deputy mayor of Mont-Dore, at the microphone of Charlotte Mestre, this Friday, January 3. A fire has been raging in the plain of the Battlefield, between the Prony factory and the Rivière bleue, since the 1is January. A site considered remarkable for its history and the vegetation that grows there.
What provoke “a big fed up” at the chosen one. “The fire started from a roadside, so it is either a voluntary act or human negligence”, he explains. In Caledonia, in September, 18,000 hectares of vegetation had already gone up in smoke, the equivalent of more than four times the surface area of Nouméa. And 99% of fire outbreaks were of human origin.
However, a study coordinated by a researcher at the Research Institute for Development (IRD), in Nouméa, has shown: the heat from fires can release metals contained in the soil. “Metals suspected of having effects on human health”, explained the scientist, Farid Juillot. Threshold exceedances for chromium and nickel have, for example, already been observed in drinking water catchments near burn zones.
The elected official calls on Caledonians to be vigilant. “We ask people to respect our nature, not to make fires and to warn as soon as we see a plume.” He reminds that in Mont-Dore, the use of fire for non-domestic use is prohibited until March 31. The municipality has issued an order to this effect. Like other municipalities.
Friday January 3, the fire risk is considered high throughout the southern half of Grande Terre. It is very high in Païta and Nouméa, where the use of fire and motorized access to sensitive forest areas are therefore prohibited.
In Mont-Dore, the Orsec plan was launched on January 2. “This means that the municipality's resources are no longer sufficient to overcome the fire.”, describes Olivier Berthelot. “We had to call Civil Security”, its water bomber helicopters and its teams. “We can also count on national reinforcements, firefighters who arrived in Caledonia several months ago and who are hard at work” to stop the spread of the flames as quickly as possible.
