![People watch as flames and smoke rise from Notre Dame...]()
Thibault Camus / AP
People watch as flames and smoke rise from Notre Dame Cathedral as it burns in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Fire fighters in the towers of Notre Dame Cathedral on...]()
Christophe Petite Tesson/AFP/Getty Images
Fire fighters in the towers of Notre Dame Cathedral on April 16, 2019, the day after the fire.
![Firefighters douse flames billowing from the roof at Notre Dame...]()
Ludovic Marin / AFP/Getty Images
Firefighters douse flames billowing from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![The landmark Notre Dame Cathedral is engulfed by flames in...]()
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt / AFP-Getty Images
The landmark Notre Dame Cathedral is engulfed by flames in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Firefighters douse flames billowing from the roof at Notre Dame...]()
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt / AFP/Getty Images
Firefighters douse flames billowing from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Flames are seen through the scaffolding of the Notre Dame...]()
Stephane De Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images
Flames are seen through the scaffolding of the Notre Dame Cathedral during a fire April 15, 2019, in Paris.
![Inspectors are seen on the roof of the landmark Notre...]()
Lionel Bonaventure / AFP/Getty Images
Inspectors are seen on the roof of the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 16, 2019, the day after a fire ripped through its main roof.
![This combination of pictures shows Notre Dame Cathedral on March...]()
Patrick Kovarik / AFP/Getty Images
This combination of pictures shows Notre Dame Cathedral on March 28, 2014, left, and April 16, 2019, a day after a fire that devastated the building.
![An image made available by Gigarama.ru on Wednesday April 17,...]()
Gigarama.ru / AP
An image made available by Gigarama.ru on Wednesday April 17, 2019 shows an aerial shot of the fire damage to Notre Dame cathedral in Paris on Tuesday April 16.
![A crane lifts experts as they inspect the damaged Notre...]()
Christophe Ena / AP
A crane lifts experts as they inspect the damaged Notre Dame Cathedral on April 16, 2019.
![The steeple of the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral collapses as...]()
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt / AFP-Getty Images
The steeple of the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral collapses as the cathedral is engulfed in flames in central Paris on April 15, 2019.
![The roof of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, shown in...]()
Martin Bureau / AFP-Getty Images
The roof of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, shown in 2017 before its restoration.
![Notre Dame cathedral is pictured Thursday, April 18, 2019 in...]()
Michel Euler / AP
Notre Dame cathedral is pictured Thursday, April 18, 2019 in Paris. France paid a daylong tribute Thursday to the Paris firefighters who saved Notre Dame Cathedral from collapse, while construction workers rushed to secure an area above one of the church's famed rose-shaped windows and other vulnerable sections of the fire-damaged landmark.
![Firefighters talk near the rose window of Notre Dame Cathedral on...]()
Thibault Camus / AP
Firefighters talk near the rose window of Notre Dame Cathedral on April 16, 2019, in Paris. Experts assessed the blackened shell of the iconic cathedral to establish the next steps to save what remains after a devastating fire.
![The steeple collapses as smoke and flames engulf the Notre...]()
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt / AFP-Getty Images
The steeple collapses as smoke and flames engulf the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![People watch as flames and smoke rise from Notre Dame...]()
Thibault Camus / AP
People watch as flames and smoke rise from Notre Dame Cathedral as it burns in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Flames rise from Notre Dame Cathedral as it burns in...]()
Thibault Camus / AP
Flames rise from Notre Dame Cathedral as it burns in Paris, April 15, 2019. Massive plumes of yellow brown smoke is filling the air above Notre Dame Cathedral and ash is falling on tourists and others around the island that marks the center of Paris.
![Smoke is seen around the altar inside Notre Dame Cathedral...]()
Philippe Wojazer / AP
Smoke is seen around the altar inside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Monday, April 15, 2019.
![People pray as Notre Dame Cathedral burns in Paris on April...]()
Francois Mori/AP
People pray as Notre Dame Cathedral burns in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Firefighters gather near a firetruck as they work to contain...]()
Zakaria Abdelkafi/AFP/Getty Images
Firefighters gather near a firetruck as they work to contain a fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris early on April 16, 2019.
![A man kneels near Notre Dame Cathedral on April 16, 2019, a...]()
Christophe Ena / AP
A man kneels near Notre Dame Cathedral on April 16, 2019, a day after a fire devastated the building.
![Workers on Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 17, 2019,...]()
Bertrand Guay/ AFP/Getty Images
Workers on Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 17, 2019, three days after a fire that devastated the building in the centre of the French capital.
![The landmark Notre Dame Cathedral, right, is shown April 16, 2019, a...]()
Lionel Bonaventure / AFP/Getty Images
The landmark Notre Dame Cathedral, right, is shown April 16, 2019, a day after a devastating fire.
![French President Emmanuel Macron, center, is accompanied by Paris Mayor...]()
Philippe Wokazer/AFP/Getty Images
French President Emmanuel Macron, center, is accompanied by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, third from left, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, left, French Culture Minister Franck Riester, second from left, and Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit as he speaks at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019, after a fire engulfed the building.
![Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at...]()
Pierre Galey/Getty-AFP
Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![A man watches the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral burn on...]()
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt / AFP-Getty Images
A man watches the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral burn on April 15, 2019.
![Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the...]()
Francois Guillot/Getty-AFP
Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019.
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Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt / AFP/Getty Images
A firefighter uses a hose to douse flames and smoke billowing from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark...]()
Hubert Hitier / AFP-Getty Images
Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![This photo taken on Monday April 15, 2019 shows Notre...]()
Vanessa Pena / AP
This photo taken on Monday April 15, 2019 shows Notre Dame cathedral burning in Paris. Firefighters declared success Tuesday April 16, 2019 morning in an over 12-hour battle to extinguish an inferno engulfing Paris' iconic Notre Dame cathedral that claimed its spire and roof, but spared its bell towers.
![Bystanders look on as flames and smoke are seen billowing...]()
Eric Feferberg/AFP/Getty Images
Bystanders look on as flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark...]()
Francois Guillot/Getty-AFP
Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at...]()
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt / AFP/Getty Images
Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark...]()
Francios Guillot / AFP-Getty Images
Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark...]()
Philippe Lopez AFP-Getty Images
Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![People kneel on the pavement as they pray outside and...]()
Eric Feferberg / AFP/Getty Images
People kneel on the pavement as they pray outside and watch flames engulf Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![A picture taken on April 17, 2019 shows Joseph, the...]()
Jean-Francois Monier/ AFP/Getty Images
A picture taken on April 17, 2019 shows Joseph, the bell number 2 of the Notre-Dame de Chartres cathedral in Chartres, western France, rebuilt after a fire in 1836. - The bells of French cathedrals were to ring out at 1650 GMT on April 17, 2019 to mark the exact moment when the fire started on April 15, 2019.
![People pray as Notre Dame Cathedral burns in Paris on April...]()
Christophe Ena / AP
People pray as Notre Dame Cathedral burns in Paris on April 15, 2019. A catastrophic fire engulfed the upper reaches of the soaring cathedral as it was undergoing renovations, threatening one of the greatest architectural treasures of the Western world as tourists and Parisians looked on aghast from the streets below.
![A woman reacts as she watches flames engulf the roof...]()
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt / AFP/Getty Images
A woman reacts as she watches flames engulf the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Flames and smoke rise from Notre Dame Cathedral as it...]()
Thibault Camus / AP
Flames and smoke rise from Notre Dame Cathedral as it burns in Paris on April 15, 2019. Massive plumes of yellow-brown smoke fiilled the air above the cathedral and ash fell on tourists and others around the island that marks the center of Paris.
![This general view shows debris inside the Notre Dame Cathedral...]()
Christophe Petit Tesson / AFP/Getty Images
This general view shows debris inside the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 16, 2019, a day after a fire devastated the building in the center of the French capital.
![Firefighters douse the Notre Dame Cathedral after a fire broke...]()
Stephane De Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images
Firefighters douse the Notre Dame Cathedral after a fire broke out April 15, 2019 in Paris.
![In this image made available on Tuesday April 16, 2019...]()
Thierry Mallet / AP
In this image made available on Tuesday April 16, 2019 flames and smoke rise from the blaze at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, Monday, April 15, 2019.
![People look on from the quay of the River Seine...]()
Thomas Samson/AFP/Getty Images
People look on from the quay of the River Seine as firefighters douse flames billowing from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![A woman reacts as she watches the flames engulf the...]()
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt / AFP-Getty Images
A woman reacts as she watches the flames engulf the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Notre Dame Cathedral burns in Paris on April 15, 2019.]()
Lori Hinant/AP
Notre Dame Cathedral burns in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark...]()
Francois Guillot / AFP-Getty Images
Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Surviving scaffolding and damage on the facade at the Notre...]()
Christophe Ena/AP
Surviving scaffolding and damage on the facade at the Notre Dame Cathedral on April 17, 2019.
![Bystanders look on as flames and smoke bilow from Notre...]()
Edouard Magrino / AFP-Getty Images
Bystanders look on as flames and smoke bilow from Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![People hug while looking at Notre Dame Cathedral on April 16,...]()
Bertrand Guay / AFP/Getty Images
People hug while looking at Notre Dame Cathedral on April 16, 2019, in the aftermath of a fire that devastated the cathedral.
![Flames and smoke rise from a fire at Notre Dame...]()
Martin Barzilai/Bloomberg
Flames and smoke rise from a fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019. The cathedral is 850 years old.
![Firefighters inspect damage from the balcony of the Notre Dame...]()
Christophe Ena/AP
Firefighters inspect damage from the balcony of the Notre Dame Cathedral on April 17, 2019.
![Firefighters carry out inspections at the Notre Dame Cathedral on...]()
Lionel Bonaventure / AFP/Getty Images
Firefighters carry out inspections at the Notre Dame Cathedral on April 16, 2019.
![Firefighters douse flames billowing from the roof at Notre Dame...]()
Thomas Samson/AFP/Getty Images
Firefighters douse flames billowing from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
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Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt / AFP-Getty Images
A woman and boy stand at the window of an apartment as they watch the flames engulf the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at...]()
Thomas Samson/AFP/Getty Images
Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![A woman reacts as she watches the flames engulf the...]()
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt / AFP-Getty Images
A woman reacts as she watches the flames engulf the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark...]()
Francois Guillot/Getty-AFP
Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
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Ludovic Marin / AFP-Getty Images
Workers measure a wall as they start the restoration work on an ancient and damaged part of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in 2018.
![An image made available by Gigarama.ru on Wednesday April 17,...]()
Gigarama.ru / AP
An image made available by Gigarama.ru on Wednesday April 17, 2019 shows an aerial shot of the fire damage to Notre Dame cathedral in Paris on Tuesday April 16.
![Police officers stand guard in front of Notre Dame Cathedral...]()
Zakaria Abdelkafi/AFP/Getty Images
Police officers stand guard in front of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris early on April 16, 2019.
![Workers install tarps at Notre Dame cathedral, Tuesday, April 23,...]()
Thibault Camus/AP
Workers install tarps at Notre Dame cathedral, Tuesday, April 23, 2019 in Paris.
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Thomas Samson/AFP/Getty Images
Smoke and flames billow from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
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AFP/Getty Images
An interior view of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 16, 2019, in the aftermath of a fire that devastated the building.
![Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark...]()
Francois Guillot/Getty-AFP
Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![A woman reacts as she watches the flames engulf the...]()
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt / AFP-Getty Images
A woman reacts as she watches the flames engulf the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.
![People watch as flames and smoke rise from Notre Dame...]()
Thibault Camus / AP
People watch as flames and smoke rise from Notre Dame Cathedral as it burns in Paris onApril 15, 2019.
![People watch the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral burning in central...]()
Philippe Lopez / AFP-Getty Images
People watch the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral burning in central Paris on April 15, 2019.
![Firefighters carry out inspections at the Notre Dame Cathedral on...]()
Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
Firefighters carry out inspections at the Notre Dame Cathedral on April 16, 2019 in Paris following a major fire.
Professional mountain climbers were hired to install synthetic, waterproof tarps over the gutted, exposed exterior of Notre Dame Cathedral, as authorities raced to prevent further damage ahead of storms that are rolling in toward Paris.
The looming bad weather threatens to further damage the 850-year-old cathedral whose roof was destroyed by the April 15 blaze, leaving the church to the mercy of the elements.
Architect-in-chief Philippe Villeneuve said he had to rush the installation of the protective covers that started Tuesday.
“The climbers, since it will be climbers who will do that, and the scaffolders, are ready,” Villeneuve told BFMTV on Tuesday. “The beams are there, the tarpaulin on its way …. The highest priority is to protect the cathedral from the rain to come.”
Some of Notre Dame’s remaining statues were removed by crane before the tarpaulins were hoisted up. Workers in the afternoon began dragging them over to cover vulnerable parts of the structure.
Parts of the cathedral, including its partially-destroyed vaulted ceiling, had already been soaked with water after firefighters desperately fought the blaze for over 12 hours that day.
Notre Dame’s vaulted ceiling was also badly damaged after the cathedral’s 19th-century spire burnt up and collapsed.
Notre Dame isn’t expected to reopen to the public for five or six years, according to its rector, although French President Emmanuel Macron is pushing for a quick reconstruction.
So far, investigators think the devastating fire was an accident, possibly linked to the cathedral’s renovation work.
