The Ile-de-France Prefecture (Paris Region) established drought surveillance in Paris, Hauts de Seine, Seine Saint-Denis and Val de Marne, where the orange level of alert, the first of four levels, was declared.

Based on this measure, people, local authorities and companies were called upon to ration water consumption and avoid spraying gardens and washing vehicles.

Forty-six departments are at the crisis level, the highest, as a result of the draught, which implies restrictions on the use of water, which includes its priority use in sectors such as human consumption and health.

The drought is causing additional concern, as it has impacted on the spread of forest fires, which have destroyed more than 20,000 hectares of forest in the south of the country in the last three weeks.

pgh/llp/acl/wmr