Major fire on the A9 near Salles-d'Aude: 15 hectares burned, motorway closed

15 hectares of vegetation covered, 200 firefighters mobilized and supported by 6 aerial assets: a major fire broke out at the beginning of the afternoon on the A9 near the commune of Salles-d'Aude. The highway, which links Spain to Montpellier, was temporarily cut in both directions of traffic before the light was set around 5 p.m. To facilitate emergency response, the RD31 and RD1118 between Salles-d'Aude and Coursan were also closed to traffic.

A diversion route was put in place but hundreds of motorists still remained stranded on the closed highway until the flooding operations were completed. An equestrian center housing 80 horses also had to be evacuated, according to Actu Occitanie. The fire was started by the fire of a truck, according to the same source.

He then crossed the tracks before covering 15 hectares, causing the activation of the departmental operational center (COD) by the Aude prefecture, placed on red alert for the fire risk this Monday. The flames took advantage of the favorable weather conditions to spread, with temperatures around 30°C and a wind which swept the territory all day.

Already hit hard by the flames this summer, the department was able to count on the deployment of 200 firefighters, some of whom had been prepositioned upstream. Four Canadairs, a Dash and a water bomber helicopter also intervened.

Alain Bucquet, prefect of Aude, “thanks the Aude firefighters, the Occitanie column which had been prepositioned in the department, the police, civil security, the departmental council, Vinci Autoroutes as well as all the actors for their commitment”, he indicates on X.