Ankara: France issued its highest forest fire alert for five southern departments as hot weather and dry conditions heightened the threat of further blazes.
According to Anadolu Agency, the national weather service Meteo-France elevated the fire risk level to 'very high' for the departments of Aude, Gard, Bouches-du-Rhone, Var, and Vaucluse. Additionally, 30 other departments were classified as facing a 'high' fire risk, as reported by public broadcaster Franceinfo. Six departments, including Herault, Var, Haute-Corse, Corse-du-Sud, Gard, and Bouches-du-Rhone, were simultaneously under orange heatwave warnings.
The alerts coincided with ongoing firefighting efforts across the country. A fire that ignited on Monday in the Bois Noir area, located between L'Argentiere-la-Bessee and Freissinieres in the Hautes-Alpes department, had consumed 50 hectares (124 acres) by Monday evening. Local authorities described the blaze as occurring in a particularly steep mountain area.
In the Var department, a wildfire originating in Taradeau and spreading to Les Arcs-sur-Argens was officially contained after burning nearly 200 hectares. Approximately 350 firefighters, supported by around 100 vehicles and aerial resources, remained on-site to continue operations.
In Haute-Corse, fires near Albertacce and Corte burned a combined 570 hectares (1,408 acres), with approximately 250 firefighters and significant aerial support deployed. Authorities also evacuated about 2,700 people from two campsites on the Vendee coast overnight due to fires in Les Sables-d'Olonne and Saint-Jean-de-Monts. A vegetation fire near a campsite in Les Sables-d'Olonne burned 13 hectares (32 acres) before being contained. This response involved 131 firefighters and two water-bombing aircraft. One campsite resident suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated on Monday that 'a little less than 40,000 hectares (98,800 acres) of forest or vegetation' had burned across France since the beginning of the year. This figure significantly exceeds last year's total and surpasses the area burned in 2022, which was already considered an exceptionally severe fire season.