Massive Wildfires Force Evacuation of 3,000 in Southern France Amid Heatwave

Around 3,000 residents and tourists were evacuated from southern France due to massive wildfires spreading near Montpellier and the Pyrenees. The fires affected areas including Saint-Marie-de-la-Mer and Canet-en-Roussillon, with at least 12 people injured, including a child and six firefighters. Approximately 2,000 firefighters are actively combating the blazes, supported by four helicopters and three firefighting planes on standby. The nearby Perpignan airport suspended operations as the fires raged.

Local authorities reported heavy smoke over campsites and documented scenes of tourists fleeing as buildings, yachts, and tents caught fire. Officials warned tourists against swimming, reallocating lifeguards to assist firefighting efforts. The wildfires coincided with an exceptional heatwave in France, with temperatures reaching record highs over recent weeks and expected to hit 37 degrees Celsius over the weekend. This extreme heat has also led to supermarket conflicts over portable air conditioners.

The departments of Aude and Var were particularly affected, with about 9,000 dunams (approximately 900 hectares) burned. French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu stated that nearly 7,000 wildfires have occurred since the start of summer, burning tens of kilometers of land. Firefighting aircraft have been deployed in Aude to contain the flames. Local sources warned that rising temperatures and strengthening winds continue to fuel the fires. Notably, Aude suffered France's worst forest fire in decades last year.