Macron: We are facing an unprecedented fire

French President Emmanuel Macron visited the Gironde Fire and Rescue Operations Center (CODIS) in Bordeaux alongside Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. Receiving information about the fire that has affected 42 thousand hectares in the Gironde region in the southwest of the country, Macron said in his statement, "I am here to express the support of the entire country and to thank you. You joined the fight again without hesitation after what happened. We owe you a lot."

Macron also commemorated the 3 firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty since the start of the fire season, and offered his condolences to their families and colleagues.

"The most severe situation since the Second World War"

Drawing attention to the scale of the fires across France, Macron said, "We are facing an unprecedented fire. We are experiencing the most serious situation recorded to date. We are facing the most severe situation since the Second World War."

Stating that approximately 116 thousand hectares of land across the country have been affected by fires since the beginning of the year, Macron said that the long-standing drought, extreme temperatures, and wind have made forest areas more vulnerable to fire.

"We will win this fight together"

Noting that the fire in Gironde has been stabilized in the last 24 hours but has not yet been completely brought under control, Macron warned that new flare-ups could occur due to rising temperatures and the increasing effect of dry winds. Pointing out that the fire creates its own weather patterns, Macron said, "The last 24 hours have been positive, but we must be cautious. Temperatures will rise again, the wind will continue. Tomorrow may be more difficult than today."

Stating that the fight against the fire will take a long time, Macron said, "We will win this fight together. We will continue to adapt all our resources according to the needs. This is the priority of priorities."

"The priority is the safety of life"

Emphasizing that the first priority in fighting the fire is to protect human life, Macron said, "If it is necessary to evacuate people to save lives, we will evacuate them. If it is necessary to give up the forest or some material assets to protect lives, we will do so."

Macron stated that those evacuated will not be allowed to return to their homes until safe conditions are established, and that housing, economic support, insurance, and psychological assistance will be provided to those who have lost their homes or workplaces.

"Assessments are not made in the middle of a fight"

Macron also responded to criticisms that the government was caught unprepared for the fires and that aerial assets were insufficient. Stating that focus should be on the fight on the ground instead of polemics while the fire is ongoing, Macron said, "Retrospective assessments are not made in the middle of a fight. Now we must remain united and fight to win the battle."

Saying that after the fires are completely extinguished, aerial assets, evacuation decisions, forest management, and the intervention system will be evaluated in detail, Macron expressed that reforesting the damaged areas in their old form would not be enough. Macron said, "We will have to replant and build a different forest. We must adapt to the permanent conditions of climate change and the pressure created by residential areas and tourism."

220 thousand people evacuated in Gironde

It was reported that a total of 220 thousand people have been evacuated in Gironde since July 22, and according to initial damage assessments, 277 structures have been destroyed, burned, or damaged. While there was no loss of life among civilians, it was announced that many firefighters were injured during the intervention. More than 2,500 firefighters, 1,500 soldiers, police and gendarmerie teams, and 18 aerial vehicles took part in the fight against the fire. Upon France's request, the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism was also activated, and planes and helicopters sent from different European countries supported the efforts.

Canadair fleet became a subject of debate

The Gironde fire brought France's aging firefighting aircraft fleet and the promise Macron made in 2022 back to the agenda. In October 2022, Macron had announced that the existing 12 firefighting aircraft would be renewed, 4 new aircraft would be added to the fleet, and the total number would be increased to 16 by the end of his term.

France currently has 12 Canadair CL-415 type firefighting aircraft with an average age of about 30 years. The fact that only 7 of the aircraft were usable during the Gironde fire, with the other 5 in maintenance, and that air support was requested from European countries, sparked reactions from the opposition and local administrators. While the first 2 new DHC-515 type Canadairs ordered by France are expected to be delivered in 2028, the 2 additional aircraft ordered in June are projected to join the fleet in the 2032-2033 period. Thus, it emerged that although 4 new aircraft were ordered, the 2027 calendar announced by Macron in 2022 would not be realized. While footage of Macron announcing in 2022 that the fleet would be increased to 16 aircraft by 2027 was reshared on social media, Jean-Luc Melenchon and politicians from the National Rally party criticized the government over the failure to keep the promise and the delays in aircraft purchases. In social media posts, reactions were expressed regarding the fact that a portion of the current fleet was in maintenance and that the new aircraft would be delivered no earlier than 2028.

Macron, on the other hand, stated that the Canadair production line had been closed for many years and said, "In 2017, Canadairs were no longer being produced. At that time, there was no debate about 2, 4, or 6 aircraft, because zero aircraft were being produced." Arguing that France contributed to the restart of production by acting together with 6 European countries, Macron said that the delivery schedule depends on the manufacturer's capacity.

The fight against fires continues across France

The major fire in Gironde started on July 22 in the Saumos region, west of Bordeaux. The flames, which grew rapidly due to extreme drought, high temperatures, and wind, spread to the surroundings of Le Porge, Ares, and Cap-Ferret, affecting 42 thousand hectares. While the progress of the fire affecting 3,600 hectares in the Landes region south of Gironde was stopped, fires were also fought in the Var, Corsica, and Hautes-Alpes regions. While 13,550 fires have been recorded across France since the beginning of the year, approximately 116 thousand hectares of land have been reduced to ashes.

News Source: 12punto