The torched caravans left behind by Riviera inferno
More than 200 caravans have been torched and vineyards and homes destroyed by the blazes ravaging the French riviera. Around 12,000 people have now been evacuated after the wildfires – now in their fourth day – spread into the Var region yesterday. Thousands of tourists were allowed to return to villas and campsites in areas now out of danger but they were warned they might have to leave again. Some British holidaymakers had to spend two nights sleeping on beaches or on camp beds in makeshift refuge centres after the seaside town Bormes-les-Mimosas came under threat. Loisirs Service, a caravan storage park in nearby La Londe-les-Maures, was engulfed in the inferno. Gaeme Massolini, who has run the business for 19 years, said: ‘We were storing 200 caravans, many of them belonged to the British and the Germans. ‘everything is destroyed, the vehicles and our house. It’s very hard. We’ve never seen a fire like this. The people are very upset that they have lost their caravans.’ Witnesses heard gas canisters within the caravans exploding as the fire took hold on Tuesday night. Phillippa Cheetham, 47 and from Sheffield, had her caravan delivered from the site days before the fire. She said: ‘I was very lucky – I’m gutted for the owners.’ French authorities reopened roads in the area yesterday. ‘The fire is contained and the last smouldering areas are almost out,’ said Frederic Marchi-Leccia of the Var fire service. ‘We were lucky that the wind dropped in the middle of the night, allowing us to work more effectively before it picked up again. We were able to take the decision with the local town hall to allow the evacuees to return to their homes in a staggered manner.’ ros roberts, a 64- year- old retired teacher who spent a night on the beach, said families were trying to move to camping pitches closer to the water. Jim and Jane Vinton, from Aldershot in Hampshire, spent their 42nd wedding anniversary sleeping in a sports hall. Mrs Vinton, 63, said: ‘We’re not going to let this spoil our holiday.’ The authorities remain on alert, fearing there could be flare-ups due to lack of moisture and high winds. Firemen are still battling blazes around Artigues. A clean-up operation was under way yesterday on the outskirts of St Tropez which was hit by fires on Monday night. William Craveries, whose family runs the Domaine La Tourraque in ramatuelle, has been surveying the damage to his vineyards. He said at least 20 per cent of his 32 hectares of vines had been destroyed. ‘We’ve also lost two tractors, a lot of machinery and will have to destroy all of our corks as they will retain the taste of burning,’ he added. ‘My parents also lost their home.’