Weather and drought ...

[catalanglais]

The last four days in the PO have been DIRE!!!

Lots of rain, cold and now a howling Tramuntana wind!!!

The snow level is pretty low and chains are needed to cross the Col du Puymorens!!


http://www.lindependant.fr/2012/05/22/n ... 140013.php


Fortunately, the decent weather looks to be coming back tomorrow

[peter]

The last four days in the PO have been DIRE!!!

Lots of rain, cold and now a howling Tramuntana wind!!!

The snow level is pretty low and chains are needed to cross the Col du Puymorens!!

Have you thought of moving to the real South of France ?

[catalanglais]

You're OK thank you! I love my little corner of paradise.

Have to say I drove past your neck of the woods last week on the way to a rugby match at Carpentras and it was very warm - until around 18h00 when it turned VICIOUSLY cold.

[peter]

Hopes of significant rainfall in June did not materialise and July has been fairly dry.

Most of Languedoc Roussillon still have water restrictions but there has been some easing of restrictions in some areas :

http://www.lindependant.fr/2012/07/19/v ... 153619.php

http://www.gard.equipement.gouv.fr/IMG/ ... _signe.pdf

http://www.herault.equipement.gouv.fr/I ... 6f17-1.pdf

http://www.aude.gouv.fr/secheresse-mesu ... a3969.html

As always check with your Mairie

[catalanglais]

We don't have any bans that I am aware of in the PO, however things are now getting very serious with the hot weather and warm winds drying everywhere out.

I was talking to my neighbour today and he said that it is years since he saw the forest quite as dry as it is now and that some of the local farmers are saying that if it doesn't rain soon, they will have to bring the animals down from the summer pastures in the mountains as there is nothing up there for them to eat as the grass has all dried up and died.

The animals normally stay up there until 15 October!!!!

[peter]

Would that be untranshumance ?

[jayneg]

Looks like there are restrictions now:

http://www.lindependant.fr/2012/07/19/v ... 153619.php

[catalanglais]

So there are Jayne! There is now a huge fire around Bouternere. Nearly 200 hectares of forest have gone up in flames already and the Tram is blowing hard. The main news on French TV tonight covered the fire as their lead item and even had a correspondent based in Vinca!!

[hesfordj]

That's a shocker. I drove through there to Vernet last week and was thinking how beautiful it all looked. I do with people would be more careful when the fire risk is so high.

[catalanglais]

Huge, very serious fire near Le Perthus / La Bonquera! More than 5000 hectares burned.

National roads and motorways all closed .


http://www.lindependant.fr/2012/07/22/u ... 154257.php

The text is in Catalan and may not be understood by everyone, but the images and videos will be. Absolutely horrific.

http://www.vilaweb.cat/noticia/4029899/ ... borda.html

[catalanglais]

more info

http://www.midilibre.fr/2012/07/22/nouv ... 537658.php

[catalanglais]

This fire has now made both the BBC and Sky news bulletins. More than 32 000 acres have burned and three people are dead with scores more injured.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18949400

Updated at 06h43, the southbound motorway is closed from Junction 40 (Leucate).

http://www.autoroutes.fr/fr/trafic-en-temps-reel.htm

The fire is still raging in Catalunya and appears to be reigniting around the border as flames are now visible in the Alberes.

[catalanglais]

Motorway now open in both directions.

[catalanglais]

The fire appears to have taken a new lease of life, seems to be heading back towards France.

Motorway is now closed southbound in France, northbound and southbound in Spain. Drivers wishing to get to Barcelona are being advised to take the route via Andorra.

Sheer mayhem on the roads, and sadly another death to report, bringing the total to four.

It's grim!

http://www.midilibre.fr/2012/07/23/a9-l ... 538175.php

http://www.lindependant.fr/2012/07/23/b ... 154441.php

[peter]

Newsclip

[catalanglais]

Autoroute is now open. The fire has moved inland.

Here is a great map showing the extent of the fire and which roads are open and closed.

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=21 ... 9c70&msa=0

We are inhaling the smoke now, it is all drifting back into France. Apparently, a small fire broke out at Le Boulou this evening but was quickly extinguished.

[catalanglais]

All roads in France and the main roads through Spain appear to be open today.

The fire is not completely under control but has not expanded overnight. The perimeter of the fire is between 65 and 70 kms!!!! It is now more to the west of the motorway, around the Darnius and west of Figueras areas. There is a smoky haze in the air this morning, but nothing like last night. There is, however, clear signs of smoke in the Haut Vallespir direction St Laurent de Cerdans / Prats de Mollo although I am sure that this is just the smoke being blown along the Tapis Maçanet valley from Darnius.

From the photos, it is clear that it is almost impossible to imagine the sheer scale of the devastation.

This is a pretty good news item from Sky.


http://news.sky.com/story/963887/raging ... our-people

[catalanglais]

MISE A JOUR A 16 H 20.

Le ministe de l'Intérieur de la Generalitat de Catalunya, Felip Puig qui s'est rendu sur le terrain, a fait un nouveau point de la situation ce mardi après-midi, retenant trois zone toujours fortement embrasées. La première va du secteur sud de Boadella à Terrades, la deuxième de la zone nord de Darnius à Agunalla et la troisième concerne le territoire de Cantallops jusq'aux portes du Perthus, cettte dernière partie étant la plus "contenue" grâce à l'aide des sapeurs-pompiers français.

Le dispositif compte maintenant 500 pompiers catalans, 400 pompiers français, 200 militaires de l'Unité d'intervention d'urgence, 12 pompiers andorrans, 200 Mossos d'esquadra, 20 agents forestiers et une trentaine d'avions porteurs et bombardiers d'eau.

Selon Felip Puig, l'incendie devrait impérativement être maîtrisé avant la nuit car demain mercredi, la météo prévoit le retour d'un vent sec et violent par endroit. Taken from l'Independent.

It would seem that the fire is building up again as the wind has now increased, smoke is more plainly visible and the Canadairs are starting to move again; the smell of burning has also come back.

Those poor people and animals. Those poor rescue personnel. God help them all.

[catalanglais]

Some great photos of the Canadairs taking on water near Argeles.

http://www.lindependant.fr/2012/07/24/l ... 154631.php

[graham34]

Interesting that last spring/summer our commune had at least two fires, thankfully quickly dealt with. There was also a large fire across the (Herault) valley - not so unusual as there is much more scrub land (garrigue would the posh term) in the area.

Over the winter there has clearly been a massive effort to clear or thin the undergrowth in ditches, edges of fields etc. everywhere. The road and chimin sides are being kept well cut as well.

[catalanglais]

It would seem that the Catalan authorities are not so strict as their French neighbours when it come to imposing the rules about strimming around one's property etc.

The fire appears to be under control this morning - except for one small area which is inaccessible so will be bombarded by Canadair in an attempt to completely extinguish it before the promised Tram arrives.

Here is an account of the disaster from some French fire personnel :

http://www.lindependant.fr/2012/07/25/l ... 154824.php

A super album of photos from a local journalist :

http://www.naciodigital.cat/galeria/136 ... s/jonquera

And here is an excellent video if you have a couple of minutes to spare :

http://www.lindependant.fr/2012/07/24/l ... 154635.php

[peter]

Major fires in the Aude destroy 60 hectares of forest : http://www.midilibre.fr/2012/08/09/un-i ... 546253.php

[peter]

Many water restrictions have been renewed for another month although some have been lifted.

Gard : http://www.gard.equipement.gouv.fr/sech ... a1316.html

Herault : http://www.herault.equipement.gouv.fr/s ... a2104.html

Aude : http://www.aude.gouv.fr/spip.php?page=r ... chhaut.y=7

P-O : http://www.pyrenees-orientales.pref.gou ... %29/fre-FR

[catalanglais]

This article appeared today in L'Indep concerning the drought situation and restrictions in the PO.

http://www.lindependant.fr/2012/08/15/d ... 158771.php

No rain - and extreme temps - seem to be forecast for at least the next ten days!

[alex hampshire]

I love the picture of three people being involved in measuring what's not there. One to 'measure' and two bored onlookers to check that she's doing a good job, or something.