Southern Territories: on the island of Amsterdam, a vegetation fire threatens to destroy an important French scientific base

A fire started on Wednesday January 15 on this small land located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, between Australia and South Africa. The island is home to the Martin-de-Viviès scientific station, which is internationally recognized for monitoring greenhouse gas concentrations. All 31 people present at the scene were evacuated in the face of the flames that were out of control.

A fire broke out around 15:00 on Wednesday near Pointe-Bénédicte. This fire of vegetation, fanned by a violent wind, quickly spread to threaten the buildings of the Martin-de-Viviés base. Due to a lack of resources to contain the disaster, the Austral boat was diverted at the request of the prefect in charge of the TAAF to evacuate the 31 people who work on this island.

In the middle of the Indian Ocean between South Africa and Australia, it is one of the most isolated islands in the world. A fire broke out on Wednesday, January 15, on Amsterdam Island, a 58 km² territory administered by the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Taaf). Of unknown origin, the fire spread with the strong wind through the vegetation and threatens the scientific station of Martin-de-Viviès, in the north of the volcanic island. The …

31 people, mostly soldiers and scientists, were on the island when the fire started. For lack of means to fight the flames, it has become out of control Amsterdam Island, which is part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Taaf), has been affected since Wednesday by a fire that forced the people present to evacuate the island, the TAAF prefecture said on Friday. “We evacuated all the staff, they are on a fishing boat in front of the island…

This Wednesday, January 15, around 15:00 (local time), a fire broke out near the scientific buildings located on Pointe Bénédicte, near the Martin de Viviès base on the French island Amsterdam. There were no casualties, but a complete evacuation has been requested.