After being stabilized on Tuesday morning, the major forest fire which broke out on Monday in Haut-Valais is still not under control due to the wind which has risen in the region. The intervention forces are still fighting against the fire which has already burned a hundred hectares. More than 200 people were evacuated.
The alert has not yet been lifted, the emergency services said at a press conference in Bitsch. About 100 hectares of forest have already gone up in smoke, said the head of the fire department of the Brig region, which corresponds to an area of about 140 football pitches. It is the worst fire in the region for 12 years.
Residents of Ried-Mörel, Flesche, Obere-Eichen/Bitsch and Oberried were evacuated, a total of 205 people, according to the cantonal police. They were relocated with relatives, or in a gym for 14 of them. No one was injured and no damage to buildings was observed.
According to information from the Valais office of the RTS, the wind picked up on the heights of Bitsch, rekindling the fire for the first time. Flames are now visible in the forest.
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Tuesday morning, the evolution of the wind had prevented the spread of the flames to the east, favoring the work of the rescuers and making it possible to avoid the evacuation of Riederalp. The Ried-Mörel road remains closed until further notice.
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Five helicopters engaged
Nearly 200 people, including 150 firefighters, took part in the extinguishing work in an area that was difficult to access. Five helicopters are again in operation on Tuesday morning, including three large aircraft. The army has already made available a Super Puma and other machines should be sent on site.
The fire chief, Mario Schaller, confirmed the imminent arrival of two additional military helicopters to fight the flames. “Until the smoke clears, there will be no relaxation,” commented the fire chief.
>> The interview of the president of Bitsch Edgard Kuonen in La Matinale:
>> Read: Major resources committed to fight a forest fire in Haut-Valais
“The absolute priority is to prevent the fire from spreading further towards Riederalp,” said Air Zermatt, which estimates that the operations should last several days or even weeks. Due to the stump fires, trees will have to be dug up later.
From the start of the fire, the flames quickly spread. The inhabitants of the hamlet of Oberried had been asked to go to the assembly point at the town hall of Ried-Mörel and to close doors and windows. The population is always called upon to stay away from the disaster area.
Fears for the future
In addition to the firefighters of the surrounding municipalities (Naters, Brig, Riederalp), the police, civil protection and rescuers are mobilized.
>> Point of situation in La Matinale:
The large Riederalp cable car is in operation, but only for residents and firefighters. The operation of the gondola has been suspended and the hiking trails are also partially closed.
The police received the report of the fire, visible far and wide, shortly before 5:00 p.m. The causes of the disaster are not yet known, the investigation is still ongoing, said the Valais police.
Fears are also emerging in relation to the protective role of this forest: without trees, the forest can naturally no longer fulfill its protective role and rockfalls could affect localities downstream. The canton is working on alternative security measures, but it will have to act quickly.
>> See photos of the fire:
vkiss/boi with ats
