We can be sure: in the coming years, we will have to face the reality of a mega fire with dead and wounded
, warns François-Michel Lambert, deputy of Bouches-du-Rhône (Libertés et Territoires) and co-rapporteur with Alain Péréa (Aude, LREM) of a mission on forest fire prevention.
“They are no longer limited to the south of France”
95% of fires that occur in France (90% of human origin) are less than 5 ha. But the fire that occurred in August 2021 in Gonfaron (Var) reminded that France was not immune to the gigantic fires that regularly occur in Portugal, Spain or even in Sweden. In the Plaine des Maures, 7,000 ha had been burned, nearly 650 buildings and habitats damaged and two people had died.
However, with climate change, the risk of fire is only increasing. They are no longer limited to the south of France, but to the whole of France. They do not only concern forests, but also vegetation and crops. And their season is stretching more and more
, lists Alain Péréa. The risk is all the greater since a study by the Forestry Office estimated the number of homes located in an area at high risk of fire at 500,000. That is to say one to two million people concerned.
Obligations not respected
In Gonfaron, of the 650 damaged buildings, half were not in compliance with town planning regulations
, deplores François-Michel Lambert. Houses benefiting from a building permit for 200 m2 were in fact spread over 500 m2, making the intervention of the emergency services more uncertain … Home control
and undoubtedly more means to enforce the rules of town planning figure among the priority recommendations of the co-rapporteurs.
Another observation: the legal clearing obligations (OLD), imposed on all owners of land located less than 200 m from a forest or wood, are only respected in 30% of cases. These OLDs are all the less carried out as the fine, in the event of non-compliance, is only 135 €.
I really want to piss off those who don’t do OLDs
annoys François-Michel Lambert in a hazardous formulation. The regulations relating to these obligations are also very complex. Simplifying and strengthening it is another recommendation from the two deputies, who hope that the new government resulting from the elections will take this issue head-on.
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