Forest fire risk
From June 15 to September 15 is the forest fire risk period. Reminder of measures to prevent and protect yourself from fires, 90% of which are man-made, particularly if you live in a wooded area, go hiking or are planning work on a professional or private basis.
Adopt the right reflexes
- Be up to date with the legal obligation to clear undergrowth imposed on certain owners to limit the start and spread of fires,
- Anticipate in the means of fighting a possible outbreak of fire (water points, equipment...),
- Consultez régulièrement la météo des forêts mise à jour tous les soirs à 17h et la daily departmental map which lists possible restrictions (ban on work, use of fire, access to wooded areas...),
- Do not light fires or barbecues in or near wooded areas,
- Do not undertake any spark-generating work on days when there is a fire alert : A prefectoral decree regulates the use of equipment or machinery that could start a fire in areas exposed to forest fires and in the 200 m strip,
- Postpone your outings in vulnerable wooded areas depending on weather conditions and fire vigilance: certain sites may also be inaccessible to the public for safety reasons, such as the Lunaret zoo and its surroundings (Montmaur woods and Lez nature reserve),
- Subscribe to TeleAlert to receive an alert in the event of a major risk, as well as a notification when the vigilance level presents a high to very high danger and may lead to restrictions.
- Be cautious about your activities in the forest. Do not smoke in or near the forest.
The risk of forest fires in Montpellier
The Montpellier area is particularly sensitive to the risk of forest fires, especially in the northern part of the commune including:
- The zoological park
- The Lez nature reserve
- The Montmaur wood
- Montferrier le Vieux
- The Quatre seigneurs plan
- The Malbosc park
- The Château d'O
- The Lac des Garrigues
- The Paillade pine forest
For your information:
- 94% of fires are of human origin.
- 1 fire in 2 is the consequence of carelessness and dangerous behavior (building sites, agricultural activities, cigarette butts, barbecues, campfires...).
- Fires are responsible for emitting 10% of greenhouse gases, degrading air quality, disrupting ecosystems and ravaging plant & animal populations. Fires do not spare human lives either.
- In 2023, 119 fires were counted in the Montpellier area, including 71 during the summer period. In all, 1.5 hectares of vegetation were burnt last year.
Burning banned in Montpellier
The Hérault prefecture reminds us of existing regulations on the use of fire and burning to avoid any risk of uncontrolled vegetation fires:
- Burning is prohibited in order to preserve air quality in particular. The incineration of green waste from the upkeep of gardens, parks and green spaces is also prohibited, as are campfires and barbecues in vegetated areas.
- By way of derogation, only plot owners or their assignees may incinerate cut or standing vegetation outside urban areas, and only for agricultural or forestry purposes, or for clearing brush. The presence of the aforementioned owners is mandatory from start to finish, and the latter must comply with the prescriptions set out in the decree.
In application of the prefectoral decree of April 25, 2002: between March 16 and June 15, incinerations are subject to declaration to the relevant town hall, which informs the Direction Départementale des Territoires et de la Mer as well as the Service d'Incendie et de Secours.
All burning is forbidden when winds exceed 40 km/h. In addition, the presence of the owner or his assignee is mandatory from the beginning to the end of the burning.