Drôme wildfire stabilized at 311 hectares after five days, two flare-ups still monitored

Fire stabilized after five days

A wildfire burning since Monday in the massif du Claps in the Drôme was declared stabilized on Saturday 8 August, with the prefecture reporting 311 hectares burned near Bellegarde-en-Diois. The fire had progressed by roughly 30 hectares during Friday, bringing the total to about 300 hectares by Friday evening before the prefecture confirmed 311 hectares the next day. Seven firefighters have been lightly injured since Monday, and no homes have been affected. No new injuries were reported overnight from Friday to Saturday.

Préfète Marie-Aimée Gaspari told franceinfo on Saturday that the situation was "relativement maîtrisée" with between 300 and 310 hectares burned, and that the fire was progressing only very little. She noted that the left flank near Bellegarde-en-Diois had been fixed for nearly 36 hours.

Two flare-ups under special attention

Despite the overall stabilization, two contained flare-ups remain under what the prefecture called "attention particulière": one to the southeast and one to the northeast of the fire perimeter. The prefecture warned that wind evolution "could favor their progression toward zones not yet burned." Gaspari described these two areas, at the rear and front-right of the fire, as "deux secteurs un peu compliqués" and a continuing operational priority.

Air resources deployed include three helicopters, one of them a water bomber, and a Dash aircraft. On the ground, 350 firefighters have been mobilised, of which 207 came from other departments. Gaspari stressed that there was no threat to populations, homes, or property, and that tourists could still visit the Diois region while avoiding fire-affected zones and respecting prevention rules.

Afternoon heat and wind concerns

The Drôme remained under orange heatwave vigilance on Saturday, and Gaspari cautioned that the afternoon would be "a sensitive moment in the management of fires." She added that one positive factor was that wind would likely be very light. Météo-France maintained both the Drôme and the Lozère at an "elevated" forest fire danger level for Saturday, along with much of the Mediterranean arc.

Separate fire in the Lozère

In the Lozère, about 120 firefighters battled a separate fire that started Friday around 13:00 near the shores of lac de Naussac, in the commune of Naussac-Fontanes. Assisted by two Canadair and one Dash, they announced by evening that the fire had been fixed after burning about 100 hectares. Authorities asked the public to avoid the area, though no homes appeared to be in danger.

Previous fire in July

In July, about 15 kilometres from Bellegarde-en-Diois in the massif du Justin, a forest fire burned nearly 4,400 hectares of vegetation in a mountainous area above Die. More than a thousand people from hamlets, holiday camps, and a camping site were evacuated as a precaution.