By Matthew Roscoe • Updated: 11 Aug 2022 • 11:49
UPDATE: Firefighter still battling fires in Maine-et-Loire (France), 620 hectares of forest destroyed. Image: @Prefet49
UPDATE 7 pm (August 9) – Firefighters told AFP, that “620 hectares of forest in Maine-et-Loire have burned and the fire has still not been extinguished.”
Local media reported two fire starts in Saint-Quentin and Saint-Martin, 15 km from the epicentre of the fire in Clefs-Val d’Anjou.
Another fire was reported in the Beaulieu-sur-Layon forest around 4 pm Tuesday, August 9. In total, another 500 hectares are still in danger of going up in smoke.
#Incendie⚠️Feu sur Baugé tjr en cours et non fixé 650 ha brûlés & 500ha menacésUne vingtaine de points sensibles recensés317👨🚒+ 107🚒 mobilisésAppuyés par des moyens aériens (dash)Renforts de @defense_ouest & @Gendarmerie_049 RD938 coupée dans les 2 sens, déviation en place pic.twitter.com/nKNYsP2zRB — Préfet de Maine-et-Loire 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@Prefet49) August 9, 2022
#Incendie⚠️Feu sur Baugé tjr en cours et non fixé
650 ha brûlés & 500ha menacésUne vingtaine de points sensibles recensés317👨🚒+ 107🚒 mobilisésAppuyés par des moyens aériens (dash)Renforts de @defense_ouest & @Gendarmerie_049 RD938 coupée dans les 2 sens, déviation en place pic.twitter.com/nKNYsP2zRB
— Préfet de Maine-et-Loire 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@Prefet49) August 9, 2022
“317 men are engaged and 107 vehicles” were dispatched to the scene. According to AFP, some farmers have helped by bringing water to the edges of the area using “tanker tractors.”
Around 20 people were evacuated in total, most of whom were staying in an accommodation centre for people with disabilities.
Twitter account ISS Above You shared a video reportedly showing that the wildfires across western France in the Maine-et-Loire region near Angers and Nantes are visible from the Space Station at 5.38 pm on Tuesday, August 9.
Wildfires are visible across western France in the Maine-et-Loire region near Angers and Nantes. This view was captured live from the @Space_Station at 5:38pm CEST today. @SDIS44 @SDIS_49 @baugeenanjou #BaugeEnAnjou Aug 9, 2022 pic.twitter.com/LmqGDZ0pzL — ISS Above (@ISSAboveYou) August 9, 2022
Wildfires are visible across western France in the Maine-et-Loire region near Angers and Nantes. This view was captured live from the @Space_Station at 5:38pm CEST today. @SDIS44 @SDIS_49 @baugeenanjou #BaugeEnAnjou Aug 9, 2022 pic.twitter.com/LmqGDZ0pzL
— ISS Above (@ISSAboveYou) August 9, 2022
ORIGINAL – Fifteen people with disabilities have reportedly been evacuated to the village hall of the commune of Vaulandry on Monday, August 8 after a huge fire broke out in the French town of Clefs-Val-d’Anjou (Maine-et-Loire), located a few kilometres south of La Fleche (Sarthe).
According to local media reports, the fire, which has been picked up on satellite images due to its size, broke out at around 1 pm in the Clefs-Val-d’Anjou neighbourhood of Maine-et-Loire and has yet to be brought under control.
So far, around 30 hectares of vegetation have already been destroyed in the fire.
Fire crews reported that the fire originated in a place called Monjoie and has spread significantly.
“The fire is growing in fire, which for the time being has not been isolated,” the SDIS (Departmental Fire and Rescue Service) of Maine said at 3.30 pm.
Around 100 firefighters are currently on the scene tackling the blaze, as reported by Ouest-France .
The force said on social media: “Area to avoid. Many of you have reported smoke and a burning smell. Firefighters are on site and are doing everything they can to contain the fire. Do not overload emergency lines 18-112.”
🚨#interventionencours🚨 Baugé-en-AnjouSecteur à éviter. Vous êtes nombreux à nous signaler de la fumée et une odeur de brûlé. Les sapeurs-pompiers sont sur place et mettent tout en œuvre pour parvenir à circonscrire l’incendie. Ne surchargez pas les lignes d’urgence 18-112🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/L2EjF5mgvK — Sapeurs-pompiers de Maine-et-Loire – SDIS 49 (@SDIS_49) August 8, 2022
🚨#interventionencours🚨 Baugé-en-AnjouSecteur à éviter. Vous êtes nombreux à nous signaler de la fumée et une odeur de brûlé. Les sapeurs-pompiers sont sur place et mettent tout en œuvre pour parvenir à circonscrire l’incendie. Ne surchargez pas les lignes d’urgence 18-112🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/L2EjF5mgvK
— Sapeurs-pompiers de Maine-et-Loire – SDIS 49 (@SDIS_49) August 8, 2022
As noted, the Maine-et-Loire fire is visible from the satellite, according to one Twitter user.
🔥 #Incendie dans le #MaineetLoire visible depuis le satellite. #feudeforet pic.twitter.com/dNpWe4KZAj — Quentin Marquet (@Quent1Mqt) August 8, 2022
🔥 #Incendie dans le #MaineetLoire visible depuis le satellite. #feudeforet pic.twitter.com/dNpWe4KZAj
— Quentin Marquet (@Quent1Mqt) August 8, 2022
Other social media accounts have shared pictures of the fire.
“More multiple fires started in France on August 8, including a major blaze towards Baugé-en-Anjou in Maine-et-Loire where 100 firefighters are mobilised.”
🔥 Encore de multiples départs de feu en France ce 8 août, dont un brasier important vers Baugé-en-Anjou dans le Maine-et-Loire où 100 pompiers sont mobilisés. (© Antoinette Esnault Gonel) pic.twitter.com/lowcIfZDrq — Météo Express (@MeteoExpress) August 8, 2022
🔥 Encore de multiples départs de feu en France ce 8 août, dont un brasier important vers Baugé-en-Anjou dans le Maine-et-Loire où 100 pompiers sont mobilisés. (© Antoinette Esnault Gonel) pic.twitter.com/lowcIfZDrq
— Météo Express (@MeteoExpress) August 8, 2022
Another wrote: “Mayor traveling to La Flèche. Fire in progress towards Clefs delegated municipality of Baugé in Anjou. Thank you to the firefighters. Vigilance and caution to all.”
Maire en déplacement à La Flèche. Incendie en cours vers Clefs, commune déléguée de Baugé en Anjou. Merci aux pompiers et sapeurs-pompiers. Vigilance et prudence à tous @SDIS_49 @chalopinbauge @baugeenanjou pic.twitter.com/T6sjTFDwas — La Lande-Chasles (Maine et Loire) (@lalandechasles) August 8, 2022
Maire en déplacement à La Flèche. Incendie en cours vers Clefs, commune déléguée de Baugé en Anjou. Merci aux pompiers et sapeurs-pompiers. Vigilance et prudence à tous @SDIS_49 @chalopinbauge @baugeenanjou pic.twitter.com/T6sjTFDwas
— La Lande-Chasles (Maine et Loire) (@lalandechasles) August 8, 2022
The blaze in France’s Maine-et-Loire comes weeks after rescue planes put out flames in Bouches-du-Rhône .
On Monday, July 18, the mayor of Barbentane, Jean-Christophe Daudet, revealed that flames nearly reached housing areas before being put out.
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Originally from the UK, Matthew is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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