'Very severe risk': South of France braces for wild fires

Local authorities in the south of France warned on Monday of a "very severe risk" of forest fires, following devastating blazes in Turkey, Greece and Italy over the weekend.
The local préfectures in the Var, Alpes-Maritimes and Bouches-du-Rhône départements in the south of France warned people to stay away from forests on Monday due to the risk of fires caused by the combination of dry and windy weather.
Eight out of nine forests in the Var were closed to the public, with the exception of the Canjuers plateau.
#FeuxDeForêt | Lundi 2 août dans le #Var, tous les massifs forestiers, sauf le plateau de Canjuers, sont en risque incendie 🔥 TRÈS SÉVÈRE
⛔ Leur accès est strictement INTERDIT
☎️ Témoin d'un départ de feu appelez le 18 ou le 112
ℹ Carte des massifs 👉 https://t.co/7rFufjKusd pic.twitter.com/2oQnZa9jHy
— Préfet du Var (@Prefet83) August 1, 2021
The Alpes-Maritimes département closed off access to the Esterel and Tanneron forests from the towns of Auribeau-sur-Siagne, Mandelieu-la Napoule, Pégomas, Peymeinade, Théoule-sur-Mer, and Le Tignet.
"As a reminder, fires are banned across the whole of the Alpes-Maritimes département from July 1st to September 30th and the greatest care is recommended around forest areas," the prefecture wrote.
READ ALSO ANALYSIS: Why we need to get used to summer storms and floods in France
⚠️Risque très sévère 🔥Feux de forêts 🔥 pour les massifs ESTEREL/TANNERON.
➡️accès interdit lundi 2 août sur les communes d’Auribeau-sur-Siagne, Mandelieu-la Napoule, Pégomas, Peymeinade, Théoule-sur-Mer, Le Tignet.
Plus d'infos ⤵️https://t.co/LbdpmNWoQs pic.twitter.com/anauXE3mVn
— Préfet des Alpes-Maritimes🇫🇷 (@prefet06) August 1, 2021
In the Bouches-du-Rhône, the département on the Côte d'Azur where Marseille is situated, people were ordered to stay away from nine wooded areas.
This included the Calanques, the national park which is home to many popular beaches. "It is still possible to visit the Calanques by boat. However, disembarkation is strictly prohibited," the park authority tweeted.
The map of "red zones" in the département where access is banned is updated daily here.
#FeuxDeForêt 🔥
Ce lundi 2 août,
9 #massifs sont en #vigilancerouge 🔴
⛔ Leur accès est interdit !
Montaiguet, Collines de Gardanne, Regagnas, Étoile, Garlaban, Sainte-Baume, Calanques, Marcouline, Cap Canaille.
☎️ Témoin d'un départ de feu appelez le 18 ou le 112 pic.twitter.com/IdF5MoRe2M
— Préfet de la région PACA et des Bouches-du-Rhône (@Prefet13) August 1, 2021
At least eight people died due to wildfires in Turkey over the weekend, while Italian firefighters had to put out 800 fires in the space of 24 hours.
A number of forest fires have also taken place in the Var and Hérault départements of France in recent days. On July 24th, a fire devastated 850 hectares of woodland in the Aude département near the Spanish border.
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The local préfectures in the Var, Alpes-Maritimes and Bouches-du-Rhône départements in the south of France warned people to stay away from forests on Monday due to the risk of fires caused by the combination of dry and windy weather.
Eight out of nine forests in the Var were closed to the public, with the exception of the Canjuers plateau.
#FeuxDeForêt | Lundi 2 août dans le #Var, tous les massifs forestiers, sauf le plateau de Canjuers, sont en risque incendie 🔥 TRÈS SÉVÈRE
— Préfet du Var (@Prefet83) August 1, 2021
⛔ Leur accès est strictement INTERDIT
☎️ Témoin d'un départ de feu appelez le 18 ou le 112
ℹ Carte des massifs 👉 https://t.co/7rFufjKusd pic.twitter.com/2oQnZa9jHy
The Alpes-Maritimes département closed off access to the Esterel and Tanneron forests from the towns of Auribeau-sur-Siagne, Mandelieu-la Napoule, Pégomas, Peymeinade, Théoule-sur-Mer, and Le Tignet.
"As a reminder, fires are banned across the whole of the Alpes-Maritimes département from July 1st to September 30th and the greatest care is recommended around forest areas," the prefecture wrote.
READ ALSO ANALYSIS: Why we need to get used to summer storms and floods in France
⚠️Risque très sévère 🔥Feux de forêts 🔥 pour les massifs ESTEREL/TANNERON.
— Préfet des Alpes-Maritimes🇫🇷 (@prefet06) August 1, 2021
➡️accès interdit lundi 2 août sur les communes d’Auribeau-sur-Siagne, Mandelieu-la Napoule, Pégomas, Peymeinade, Théoule-sur-Mer, Le Tignet.
Plus d'infos ⤵️https://t.co/LbdpmNWoQs pic.twitter.com/anauXE3mVn
In the Bouches-du-Rhône, the département on the Côte d'Azur where Marseille is situated, people were ordered to stay away from nine wooded areas.
This included the Calanques, the national park which is home to many popular beaches. "It is still possible to visit the Calanques by boat. However, disembarkation is strictly prohibited," the park authority tweeted.
The map of "red zones" in the département where access is banned is updated daily here.
#FeuxDeForêt 🔥
— Préfet de la région PACA et des Bouches-du-Rhône (@Prefet13) August 1, 2021
Ce lundi 2 août,
9 #massifs sont en #vigilancerouge 🔴
⛔ Leur accès est interdit !
Montaiguet, Collines de Gardanne, Regagnas, Étoile, Garlaban, Sainte-Baume, Calanques, Marcouline, Cap Canaille.
☎️ Témoin d'un départ de feu appelez le 18 ou le 112 pic.twitter.com/IdF5MoRe2M
At least eight people died due to wildfires in Turkey over the weekend, while Italian firefighters had to put out 800 fires in the space of 24 hours.
A number of forest fires have also taken place in the Var and Hérault départements of France in recent days. On July 24th, a fire devastated 850 hectares of woodland in the Aude département near the Spanish border.
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