Monday 22 June 2009: Fire in the garrigue
Only yesterday jamjaragain, a few hundred kilometres south of us, posted a photo of a fire plane here. I thought that it's a dangerous time for fire because we've had hot weather and a strong wind. Today we have a garrigue fire just a couple of kilometres north of our village which I photographed from the car as we were coming back from buying wine in Roquessels.
Fires are a normal part of the cycle of nature in the garrigue, clearing ground for new growth, but they can be dangerous and destructive. This one was frighteningly close to the road and I'm glad to be home, listening to the sirens of emergency vehicles on the main road and the fire planes bringing water, smelling the smoke and marvelling at the strange orange ight of the sun coming through it.
Comments
a bit early for fires like that
~ tp
I hope the house there in the picture was alright...
~ cew
What a coincidence, but not of the good sort! A couple of kilometres away is a bit too close for comfort. I hope they've managed to put it out now.
~ jamjaragain
The fire now seems to have been put out, but it has taken about four hours of brave work by the fire fighters, planes carrying water have been going over the village all afternoon, and the air still smells of smoke. I hope the house is all right, too, but it was very near the approaching flames when we came past.
~ chaiselongue
Sounds like a risky business setting fire to the old growth when the ground is so dry. I'm glad they put it out and I hope everyone is alright.
~ grannyannie
How scary to have a fire so close in dry conditions. Excellent blip and write-up.
~ cabbagetree
Scary. We have fires here as well.
~ Dolcezza
Scary time! Glad it was put out in the end.
~ SooB
You haven't been invited to comment on this journal. Why not start your own journal and join the community? It's free, only takes a minute and you'll be able to comment on everyone's journals. Click here to get started.