Forest fires break out in south-west france and behind nice

TREE BRANCHES BLOWN ONTO POWERLINES SPARKED BLAZE IN DORDOGNE. INVESTIGATIONS INTO ARSON ARE BEING OPENED AS A RESULT OF FIRES IN SOUTH-EAST Several hectares of woodland burned this weekend

in south-west France after heavy storms blew detached branches from trees onto a nearby high-voltage power line sparking a fire. The branches were set alight and then the strong winds during

the peak of the storm on Saturday (March 8) blew them back into forested areas. The fire spread across two communes in the Dordogne department (Marsalès and Capdrot) and left some homes

there– plus in neighbouring Lavalade and Lolme – without electricity for several hours.  Up to 20 firefighting vehicles were used to put out the fires before they spread. Nobody was injured

as a result of the incident.  The storms also caused thousands of homes in the Hérault and Bouches-du-Rhône departments to lose power over the weekend, with over 1,000 still disconnected

from the grid on Sunday (March 9) evening. FOREST FIRES IN SOUTH-EAST A series of major forest fires were also recorded near Nice (Alpes-Maritimes) on the same day - and authorities believe

the blazes were started deliberately.  Around 300 hectares of land in the Roya Valley were affected, with two properties destroyed.  Two Canadair water planes and a helicopter were used to

fight the fires.  Strong winds and dry vegetation – the area had seen little rain in recent weeks – helped rapidly spread the blazes. Nice public prosecutor Damien Martinelli confirmed that

an investigation into the fires has been launched, and that “In the light of the initial information gathered, these investigations are being carried out… into dégradations volontaires par

incendie [arson].”  Several storms are set to hit the south-east this week, which should wet the ground and limit the risk of further forest fires.  Read more: Wet week ahead with some

warmer days: French weather outlook March 10 - 14 The fires are a timely reminder of the rules on garden undergrowth clearance – mandatory in a number of areas of France including

Alpes-Maritimes – that are in place to limit the spread and effect of these blazes.  Read more: French property owners and tenants: what are rules for obligatory undergrowth clearance? This

will be the third year that France runs its ‘forest fire risk’ map.  However, these daily updates are only given from late spring onwards, with the events above being anomalies during the

early spring.