PARIS (AP) — Devastating wildfires swept through southern France on Thursday, driven by weeks of dry conditions and record-high temperatures that have left the landscape parched and vulnerable to flames.
The largest blaze broke out across the Aude and Herault regions, where local authorities deployed as many as 800 firefighters and 150 vehicles to battle fires that had already burned through more than 900 hectares — roughly 2,200 acres. Separate fires also ignited in the neighboring Marseille region, where two blazes were brought under control Thursday, though they had not been fully extinguished.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu reported that nearly 7,000 fires have erupted since the beginning of the summer season, scorching approximately 8,700 hectares of land. “The situation is fairly tense,” he said.
Four water-bomber aircraft were called in to assist ground crews in the Aude region. Aude prefect Alain Bucquet stressed the urgency of the response, telling France Info channel: “The idea is to bring the fire under control quickly because temperatures are rising and the wind is growing stronger.”
The Aude region has a long history with wildfires. Just last year, firefighters successfully contained what was described as France’s largest wildfire in decades in that same area.
Further south, fires raging near the seaside resort of Canet-en-Roussillon forced the evacuation of 1,500 residents from three campsites and destroyed hundreds of mobile homes. Regional prefect Pierre Regnault de la Mothe described firefighters as engaged in “a fierce struggle” to stop the flames from spreading into a nearby industrial zone.
Forecasters offer little relief, with no rain expected in the coming days. The fires follow heat waves that struck in May and again at the end of June. Vegetation across the Mediterranean region is under severe water stress, and strong winds continue to fan the danger.
