Fire in the Landes: 150 hectares already burned, thousands threatened

A fire has been underway in Lüe in the Landes since the early afternoon of Wednesday September 16 and is now threatening the Landes forest, ICI Gascogne reported on Wednesday.

Around 150 hectares of forest have already burned but "hundreds or even thousands of hectares are threatened", according to the firefighters who are 200 mobilized, helped by 14 Dash and Air Tractor aerial assets.

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The virulent fire spread in the Landes de Gascogne massif, between the A63 motorway and the SNCF line which adjoins the municipalities of Lüe and Labouheyre in the Landes. The fire broke out in a photovoltaic farm in the town of Lüe at the beginning of the afternoon and is now spreading into the surrounding forest, particularly in the direction of Labouheyre. The Landes prefecture indicates that four firefighters were slightly injured.

Contacted shortly before 6 p.m. by HERE, the firefighters confided that they did not share “overwhelming optimism”. The deputy director of SDIS 40, Romain Moutard, speaks of a “very unfavorable” situation and indicates that he is waiting for “Canadairs”. He adds that the wind is blowing strongly towards the southeast but does not threaten homes as of today. No evacuation is therefore planned for the moment. On the other hand, Romain Moutard indicates that firefighters fear bursts of fire, as it is so “powerful”.

Delays and cancellations of trains “are to be expected”

A little before 6 p.m., firefighters were still able to contain the fire on the right side of the TGV line, that is to say to the west. The line serves Labouheyre, Dax, the entire Basque Country, Béarn and Bigorre. Because of this fire, train traffic was interrupted between Labouheyre and Morcenx in both directions of traffic.

“Delays and cancellations are to be expected,” warned SNCF Voyageurs, which estimates a return to normal around 7 p.m. For the moment, from Bordeaux, a train to Mont-de-Marsan is canceled. A train from Hendaye is two hours late. The Bordeaux-Hendaye, Bordeaux-Dax, Bordeaux-Pau and Bordeaux-Tarbes lines pass through Labouheyre. Near the fire, the RD10E departmental road is closed, said the Landes department.

The Landes prefecture specifies that the SNCF has set up buses.

The prefect of the department activated the departmental operational center (COD) in the prefecture in order to coordinate the action of the services. “Our fellow citizens are asked to avoid the area and to facilitate the passage of security and emergency services.”