South of France on high alert for fire, forests closed off

Update August 9, 08:20: Four forests in the Hérault departments are also closed today due to the extreme risk of forest fires. These are the Mont Saint-Loup (Agde), Forêt des Pierres-Blanches (Ville de Sète), Causse d’Aumelas et colline de la Moure, and Cirque de Mourèze et Montagne de Liausson.

You can find out more information on the Hérault prefecture's social media pages, including on Facebook.

Public access to a number of forests in the south of France is being restricted due to the increased risk of fires amid continuing high temperatures.

Heatwave warnings have remained in place for over a week in some areas – and strong Mistral winds are increasing the chance of forest fires striking up.

Yesterday (August 7), seven massifs (hilly forested areas) in the Bouches-du-Rhône and Var departments (both in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur region) were closed, to limit the chance of fires and to protect people in case a fire does break out.

These were the Haut Var, des Maures and de la Sainte-Baume in the Var, and Sainte-Victoire, collines de Gardanne, Montaiguet and Regagnas in the Bouches-du-Rhône.

Prefectures in areas with an increased risk of forest fires release daily updates outlining which areas are closed to the public. 

You can find these with an online search for the name of your department and ‘communiqués de presse’, then finding the update on the prefecture website.

These departments also have – independently of national alerts – a tiered list of warnings, set internally by the prefecture, which can be raised at communal level.

 They are: 

• Green: access to forested areas, and works (travaux), are authorised.

• Yellow: access to forested areas is authorised, and works are permitted subject to approval of the site manager

• Orange: entry into forested areas is not recommended and works are prohibited, unless an exemption is granted

• Red: access to forest areas in the zone is forbidden outside ZAPEF locations (Zones d’Accueil du Public en Forêt, forest public access zone) and works are forbidden unless an exemption has been granted.

• ‘Extreme’ red (Couleur rouge Extrême): all access to and works in forest areas are prohibited. Extreme vigilance is required if you are in the area

Forests are closed to the public, and works are limited, as an overwhelming majority of fires are caused by human activity, accidental or otherwise. 

Read more: Alert over fire risk in French forests as most blazes caused by people

National forest fire risks raised 

State forecast Météo France also has its own forest fire warning system in place. 

The Météo des Forêts forecast is similar to the weather, in that it provides warnings at departmental level, up to 48 hours in advance, over how likely a forest fire is to start. 

Today (August 8), the two departments above are on an increased warning, alongside Vaucluse and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. 

Tomorrow (August 9), warnings decrease one level in the Var and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, but increase in the Pyrénées-Orientales, Aude, and Hérault departments. 

You can consult the map here but note that, unlike for weather warnings, it is not interactive. 

Read more: How does France's wildfire risk forecast work? Where can I see it?