- Title: Locals moved to temporary shelter as wildfires blaze in southern France
- Date: 25th July 2017
- Summary: RAMATUELLE, FRANCE (JULY 25, 2017) (REUTERS) FIRE TRUCK WITH SMOKE RISING ABOVE HILL IN BACKGROUND SMOKE ABOVE FOREST FIREFIGHTERS PUTTING WELCOME SIGN ON PARKED FIRE TRUCK FIRE TRUCK DRIVING ALONG DIRT ROAD NEXT TO FOREST / SMOKE COMING OUT OF FOREST ON HILL FLAMES IN FOREST SEEN THROUGH SMOKE SEA / SMOKING LANDSCAPE PEOPLE WATCHING SMOKE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH HOLIDAY MAKER ON HOLIDAY WITH HIS WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN AGED FIVE AND ONE, CHARL0Y ADNANE, SAYING: "Yesterday evening we were having a normal typical evening with friends and we started seeing helicopters. We didn't see any smoke, but helicopters with big tubes that were letting out water and we noticed fire-fighting planes and then we saw a big cloud of smoke that was white at first, which did not stop growing and intensifying. And we understood that something was happening. And when we saw the non-stop gliding of the fire-fighting planes - we saw about 10, 20, even 30 passing up above us, we understood that something was happening." SMOKE RISING ABOVE FOREST (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH HOLIDAY MAKER ON HOLIDAY WITH HIS WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN AGED FIVE AND ONE, CHARLY ADNANE, SAYING: "So, we were asked to evacuate around 11pm or midnight and we left for Ramatuelle's municipal theatre and everything was well organised, we weren't scared or anything, even for our children, everything was well organised so no no, on that front I have no criticisms to make." SMOKE RISING ABOVE FOREST (SOUNDBITE) (French) 41-YEAR-OLD OWNER OF "CAP TAILLAT" CAMPSITE IN RAMATUELLE, CHRISTOPHE PASQUIER, SAYING: "People reacted well so despite the potential stress on seeing what was burning up, the evacuation was done well in any case." JOURNALIST ASKING: "Do you know what sort of state your home is in? There was no damage?" "For the moment, no, fingers crossed because the fire is still going on above it, and they are still working on it, so there you go, we'll know more this evening." VARIOUS OF FOREST IN SMOKE VARIOUS OF CHARRED FOREST CIVIL PROTECTION VAN / PEOPLE SITTING ON STEPS OF RAMATUELLE'S "ALBERT RAPHAEL" CULTURAL CENTRE CHILDREN ON STEPS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE INSIDE CENTRE CIVIL PROTECTION WORKERS STANDING BY REFRESHMENTS PEOPLE QUEUING FOR REFRESHMENTS PEOPLE SITTING ON TEMPORARY BED
- Embargoed: 8th August 2017 11:45
- Keywords: fire wild fire wildfires St Tropez France fires in France fire in St Tropez Ramatuelle
- Location: RAMATUELLE, FRANCE
- City: RAMATUELLE, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Fires
- Reuters ID: LVA0016R7TKJR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Wildfires near Saint-Tropez prompted authorities to evacuate residents and holiday makers to a temporary shelter, as firefighters sought to contain the flames on Tuesday (July 25).
Fires spread in the forests of the French municipality of Ramatuelle, about 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) from the popular resort town of Saint-Tropez.
French tourist, Charly Adnane, on holiday with his wife and two young children aged five and one, described his experience of being evacuated late on Monday (July 24) night to a Ramatuelle cultural centre, used as a temporary shelter.
Owner of four-star campsite "Cap Taillat" Christophe Pasquier's in Ramatuelle was also evacuated late on Monday (July 24) night, and was still worried for his home as fires continued to rage near it.
Early on Tuesday morning, the head of the firefighters' command post in the area, Lieutenant-Colonet Michel Dutreux, said the fires were not yet under control and the department was struggling to fight many at once.
Strong winds caused flames to spread quickly, with the fire having spread more than 200 hectares in the first hour, authorities said.
Authorities said on Monday (July 24) fires had destroyed some 1,400 hectares of forest and woodlands in the south of France and the island of Corsica. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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