The Alpes-Maritimes remain under tension this Monday, August 3rd. The department is experiencing a seventh day classified as very severe risk of forest fires since July 17th. The Esterel-Tanneron massif is closed to the public, while orange heat wave alert remains in place and thunderstorms are expected in the Haut-Pays.
Maximum vigilance remains in place in part of the Alpes-Maritimes. This Monday, August 3rd marks the seventh day classified as very severe fire risk since July 17th by the Alpes-Maritimes prefect, proof of a particularly long episode in the middle of summer.
The Esterel-Tanneron massif is placed at very severe forest fire risk. Consequently, access, circulation and work are prohibited throughout the entire day. These restrictions aim to limit fire outbreak risks in a particularly sensitive area.
The rest of the Alpes-Maritimes is classified as low to moderate risk and is not subject to particular restrictions.
The authorities remind that prevention relies above all on individual behavior. No fires should be lit near wooded areas. Cigarette butts should not be thrown from a vehicle and access restrictions must be respected. In case of fire outbreak, an alert must be given immediately by calling 18 or 112 after precisely locating the incident. State services also remind that 9 out of 10 fires are of human origin.
Persistent heat wave and thunderstorms forecast in the Haut-Pays
Weather conditions continue to fuel concerns. Météo-France maintains the Alpes-Maritimes on orange heat wave alert this Monday, August 3rd. A yellow thunderstorm alert is also forecast between noon and 8 p.m. in several sectors of the Haut-Pays.
Under constant sunshine, temperatures reach 29°C on average on the coast and 30°C in Menton from the morning. In the hinterland, the thermometer shows between 24°C in high altitude towns, such as Saint-Auban, Guillaumes or Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée, and 29°C in Saint-Martin-du-Var or Grasse.
The afternoon promises to be even hotter. Maximum temperatures should reach 36°C in Roquebillière, 35°C in Puget-Théniers and up to 34°C in Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée, Villars-sur-Var and Guillaumes.
Caution is recommended during outdoor activities. UV indices range between 8 and 9 on a scale of 10, increasing the risk of sunburn and heat stroke.
Thunderstorms could also develop in the Haut-Pays during the afternoon. The yellow alert concerns sectors between Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée and Tende, passing through Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée and Roquebillière. Wind gusts reaching 40 km/h are also expected around Saint-Martin-du-Var and Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée.
The night will remain calm but warm. On the coast, temperatures should not drop below 26 to 27°C, extending a heat wave episode that maintains a high risk of forest fires in the Alpes-Maritimes.
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