Forest fires: five departments are on red alert, 28 are on orange… A new day in danger this Thursday

This Thursday, July 23, the forest fire danger level remains very high. Five departments have been moved to the red alert level and 28 to the orange alert level, Météo-France said in its latest bulletin.

A very high risk day. France is on alert due to forest fires that are becoming more frequent throughout the country. This Thursday, July 23, only two departments will remain green: Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin. In the South-East and South-West, more and more departments are switching to orange alert.

A total of 28 departments are on orange alert, from the Loire Valley to the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean coast, Météo-France points out in its latest bulletin. Among the areas hardest hit by the fire, Var, Vaucluse, Bouches-du-Rhône and Gard are on red alert, with Aude also moving to that maximum alert level.

Currently, 14 forest fires are raging in France, reports the website feudeforet.fr.

This content cannot be displayed

This content cannot be displayed without your consent because it uses cookies placed by its provider. These cookies enable, among other things, audience measurement, personalized content or tracking of your browsing experience. To view this content you can:

Set your choices to only accept cookies associated with that third-party content by clicking “Customize Cookies.” You can change your choices and withdraw your consent at any time by clicking “Cookie Settings” at the bottom of this site.

To find out more, you can also read our privacy policy. This content cannot be displayed without your consent.

Set cookies

Wind before a storm?

According to the latest forecasts, a “lying down” mistral with a westerly component should blow in Upper Var, with gusts of up to 70 km/h. Although this very dry wind has contributed greatly to fire outbreaks in this part of the country since the beginning of the week, it is expected to weaken and move towards the Mediterranean from Friday 24 July.

In the Gironde, wind gusts of up to 40 km/h, often carried by sea breezes, could turn the front of a fire that has already burned more than 1,000 hectares in Somoza.

Daniel Siad found dead in his home, more than 2,500 hectares burned in Var fire, Monique Barbut ultimately remains in post: the evening’s highlights

Rain is also expected in the south this weekend, with thunderstorms forecast from the Pyrenees to the Alps on Saturday 25 July. These storms can be severe, with a high chance of rain and risk of hail, especially on highways during significant crossover times before August.