The watchtower of Léon

Under heavy surveillance from mid-March to mid-October, the Landes forest is dotted with watchtowers. About forty metres high, these metal behemoths are the guarantors of safety against fire outbreaks. Until 2004, seasonal workers were responsible for this surveillance, which has often proved its effectiveness. But the sudden death of one of them, probably due to lightning, changed all that, and since then the towers have been equipped with surveillance cameras. Supported by a system called Prodalis, which won the 2010 ENSOSP innovation prize, their sharp eyes have since replaced the human eye in this constant battle against the flames.