how the forest reconquers burned lands after the 2022 fires

Heatwave and drought facilitate the outbreak of a megafire in the South-West during the summer of 2022. In the midst of more than 30,000 hectares burned, two years later, what has become of the biodiversity in these decimated forests? The unreleased documentary “After the Fire” answers the question.

July 2022. Two gigantic fires are raging near Landiras and La Teste-de-Buch in Gironde. The forest and the Landes de Gascogne regional natural park then experienced the largest fires in their history, simultaneously. This unprecedented and exceptional situation, by its scale and duration, has had a profound impact on people's minds, but also changed the landscape. The documentary “After the Fire” sought to understand and analyze how living things survived the fire and how they are already working to regenerate, find ways to adapt and reestablish themselves.

Because although fortunately, no human casualties were reported, nature was not spared, the forest providing a biological role as an ecosystem for fauna and flora.

“After the fire”: the results

To take stock of the situation, the documentary was particularly interested in several post-fire periods: the winter which followed then, 20 months later and finally, 24 months after the fire to understand and analyze how living survived the fire and how, gradually, he got back to work to regenerate, find ways to adapt and reestablish himself.

And for this, he relied on the studies of the “Climate sentinels” program of the Cistude Nature association, which had carried out an inventory of biodiversity on very specific plots of this forest between 2017 and 2022. This state precious places made it possible to follow the specialists who came to ensure, in situ, monitoring of the rebirth of these territories to compare the before and after fire on populations of amphibians, insects, reptiles, birds, as well as botanical monitoring.

Nature abhors a vacuum.

This is in fact what we quickly discover during this documentary by following the naturalists and scientists in the field who analyze the reappropriation by the living of this vast destroyed area, from the smallest to the largest form of life. Because despite the appearance of a nature in which only decimated spaces appear on the surface and sometimes in depth, signs of life appear, here and there, suggesting that they are indeed in the process of being prepared. to be reborn.

We then learn, through the voice of these specialists in the field, the renaturalization capacity of the site and we understand how this fauna and flora resist, adapt and develop again. All these signs of life are taken with great attention by naturalists who closely observe the evolution of this nature.

In particular, we discover, with astonishment and relief, that 15 days after the end of the fire, signs of life are already resuming, the vegetation then naturally resuming its life cycle. Even if we notice at the same time that in certain places, on the other hand, nothing grows back. Only the black remains of this devastating fire are present. Until when?

From images of charred forests to green shoots of vegetation, including the chance encounter of a lizard, a snake or a ladybug, the documentary is filled with beauty by the power of nature which is reborn in the sense clean of its ashes.

The sequenced temporality of the documentary also provides evidence of the evolution of a resilient nature which, gradually, regains its rights even if the soil, air and water have been impacted and sometimes modify the species of fauna and flora.

Some appear for the first time while others will not return. We also learn that even charred trunks can provide benefits by serving, for example, as a refuge for fauna and food for flora. Like what…

An encouraging, reassuring and hopeful message, but nevertheless, how can we think about the future so that such disasters do not happen again?

After the fire: what future?

This type of event is likely to recur due to climate change and we can think that these large-scale phenomena will even increase. The documentary then leads to the reflection of strategic choices on the reconstruction or liberalization of these natural spaces. In what dynamic should we humans intervene, collectively, but also individually?
And how can we adapt to this new climate which impacts all living things and our environment on a daily basis?

*After the fire: diffusion on Thursday November 21 at 10:45 p.m. on France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine and already available on the France.tv platform.

A summer fire full of dangers

This summer of 2022, everyone remembers it well and certainly forever. The month of July began with a severe heatwave and therefore a severe drought which contributed to the outbreak of a megafire and a large-scale conflagration in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region from July 12 to August 14.

A long, fierce struggle was waged to try to put an end to this catastrophe which nevertheless devastated more than 30,000 hectares of forest in its path, devastated emblematic campsites in the Arcachon basin and homes, forcing the evacuation of nearly 50,000 people.

Days and nights watching the images of this long and painful battle led by the approximately 3,000 mobilized firefighters, French and foreign, who came from all walks of life to provide reinforcement at the height of the episode. Scenes of desolation in front of these decimated and charred landscapes, with a smell and clouds of smoke sending the message of danger up to tens and tens of kilometers away.

After several weeks of struggle, the aptly named men of fire managed to defeat hell.

This unprecedented event left its mark forever, but also lastingly changed our landscapes.

Special evening dedicated to fires

The broadcast of the unpublished documentary “After the fire” is followed by another documentary “Mégafeux, a summer in combat”.

A film that plunges the viewer into the hell of the blaze, up close to the firefighters and authorities who are fighting tirelessly to try to stem this gigantic catastrophe. Staggering images to understand the horror that professionals, but also the residents concerned, faced on a daily basis.

“Mégafeux, a summer in combat”: broadcast on Thursday November 21 at 11:35 p.m. on France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine and on the France.tv platform.

*After the fire

A film directed by Lilou Lemaire, written by Lilou Lemaire and Christophe Coïc

A Flair Production co-production – France Télévisions

With the support of the National Center for Cinema and Animated Images and the Gironde department.

Duration: 52 mins

**Mégafeux, a summer in combat

Director: François Guillaume, Herlé Jouan

A co-production: Antipode – France Télévisions

Duration: 52 mins