French PM Lecornu visits Le Porge after Gironde megafire destroyed 183 homes, facing residents' anger
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu made an unannounced visit to Le Porge on Sunday, touring the commune where 183 homes were destroyed by a megafire that burned over 40,000 hectares in Gironde, ahead of his official programme on Monday.
Sunday's unannounced visit
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu made an unannounced visit to Le Porge on Sunday afternoon, August 16, touring the devastated commune with mayor Martial Zaninetti ahead of his official programme in Gironde scheduled for Monday. The visit, conducted without cameras, took place in a municipality of 3,500 residents where 183 homes were destroyed by the megafire that swept through more than 40,000 hectares in Gironde in late July. According to Lecornu's entourage, the Prime Minister used the visit to adjust the announcements he plans to make on Monday after getting an idea for himself of the situation on the ground. He also greeted CRS officers stationed on the beach at l'Océan.
A community's anger
Residents of Le Porge have expressed growing frustration with the government's response. Philippe, a 56-year-old resident whose friends lost their homes, told AFP he did not want Lecornu in the commune.
We don't want him here. They are people disconnected from reality, who will come supposedly to listen to the locals, but in reality they already have their strategy all mapped out.
Tensions escalated after August 1, when Lecornu stated that the pain of victims was being instrumentalised by conspiracy theorists on social networks. Some residents had argued that authorities sacrificed their homes to protect the upscale Cap-Ferret peninsula. Philippe added that Lecornu had called them conspiracy theorists and questioned whether he would actually speak to people who lost everything.
Monday's official programme
Lecornu's official schedule on Monday begins with a meeting with the mayor of Le Porge, followed by a round table with elected officials and socio-economic actors in Mérignac, in the Bordeaux metropolitan area, and a press conference. His entourage said he will also meet members of a residents' collective and firefighters. The announcements will focus on rebuilding evacuated communes as quickly as possible, with the stated goal of preventing bureaucracy from delaying a return to normal.
- Megafire burns more than 40,000 hectares in Gironde, destroying 250 homes including 183 in Le Porge
- Lecornu says victims' pain is being instrumentalised by conspiracy theorists on social networks
- Lecornu makes unannounced visit to Le Porge with mayor, without cameras
- Official visit: meeting with mayor, residents' collective and firefighters, then meetings in Merignac and press conference
- National firefighter union representatives call for mobilisation at end of September
Mayor Martial Zaninetti told AFP he would ask Lecornu for a "Marshall Plan" for the reconstruction.
Economic fallout
Restaurant owners, merchants and artisans in Le Porge, forced to close for 10 days at the peak of the summer season, have drafted a letter of grievances they hope to deliver to the Prime Minister. One restaurateur, speaking anonymously to AFP, said they want the government to pressure insurers into covering business interruption losses even without material damage. They also seek a total exemption from Urssaf social charges for one quarter and an exceptional fund to compensate for time lost to administrative tasks.
Firefighters and prevention
Bruno Lafon, president of DFCI Aquitaine, the forest fire defence organisation, said his teams have built more than 120 kilometres of firebreaks. National firefighter union representatives called on Thursday for a mobilisation at the end of September.
