Hundreds of firefighters are battling multiple wildfires across France, amid strong winds and dry conditions, as the country’s heatwave persists.
More than nine million square (sq) metres of land has been scorched by the largest fire, which broke out in the commune of Pouzols-Minervois in southern France and spread, French broadcaster BFMTV reported.
Hundreds of residents have been evacuated as a precaution, although no homes are believed to have been destroyed. A number of vineyards, however, have been damaged.
The regional government in Aude said on Thursday that around 500 firefighters were tackling the forest fire, adding that climate conditions remained “unfavourable” due to heavy winds.
Strong winds on Wednesday night spread the smell of smoke across the south of France, including to Marseille Airport, where a pilot on one flight landing there reassured passengers that the smell was not coming from their aircraft, according to a witness.
Another wildfire had been brought under control in the Lançon-Provence region in southern France, the local fire brigade said. Around two million sq metres have already burned there.
A blaze in Rognac north of Marseille was contained overnight after scorching about 50 hectares.
The fires also disrupted transport, with regional TER rail services between Marseille and Miramas suspended Thursday morning after flames approached railway tracks.
Elsewhere, a wildfire in Fréjus on the Côte d’Azur was contained late Wednesday after burning through vegetation and prompting the evacuation of about 2,200 people from six campsites.
Eric Brocardi, Spokesperson for the National Federation of Firefighters, warned that wildfires are occurring increasingly earlier in the year.
"It's a reality, it's a certainty. Today we see it, it's an extremely complicated period for firefighters," he told European broadcaster RTL, noting that the fires are erupting before the peak summer holiday season, making it more difficult to mobilise volunteer firefighters.
France's weather office has warned that another spell of extreme heat could hit next week. Health authorities estimate the previous heatwave may have caused around 1,000 excess deaths in the country.
The World Meteorological Organization last week warned that the record temperatures that baked Western Europe for over a week in late June would worsen the risk of wildfires, given the outlook for sustained high temperatures, very low humidity and dry vegetation.
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