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French wildfire stabilized after burning 1,800 hectares
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Disasters & Emergencies

French wildfire stabilized after burning 1,800 hectares

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Ongoing story
  • A wildfire in France's Gros Bessillon massif has been stabilized after burning 1,800 hectares over two days.
  • Firefighters conducted 450 aerial water drops to contain the blaze, which had previously been controlled but reignited.
  • While no human casualties were reported, 33 homes were destroyed in the initial phase and 7 more in the recent flare-up, with 2,500 people evacuated.

Firefighters have stabilized a wildfire in the Gros Bessillon massif in southern France, bringing some relief after two days of intense activity. The blaze, which had previously been controlled, reignited and scorched an additional 1,800 hectares. Officials described the situation as a hard-won battle, emphasizing that the fight is not over.

We have won a battle, but it is not the end of the war.

— Simon BabreThe prefect (government delegate) of the Var department described the fire containment efforts.

Aerial resources, including planes and helicopters, executed 450 water drops throughout the day. This effort helped to contain the fire's progression, although it remains unfixed. The total burned area reached 1,800 hectares by Saturday evening, up from 1,500 hectares the previous day, indicating successful containment efforts.

Fortunately, no lives were lost, though some firefighters sustained minor injuries. Approximately 2,500 residents evacuated on Friday are expected to return home soon. The fire, initially ignited on July 21, had burned 4,500 hectares before being brought under control, only to flare up again. In total, 33 homes were destroyed during the first ten days, with another 7 damaged in the recent phase, and 70 more impacted.

although it is not fixed at all, it has been stabilized.

— Simon BabreThe prefect of the Var department commented on the fire's status after aerial water drops.

Fire officials remain cautious, warning that the fire could reignite. The containment efforts occurred under challenging conditions, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius, humidity below 20%, and wind gusts exceeding 40 kilometers per hour. Forecasters predict a shift in wind direction on Sunday. This fire is currently the most severe in France, contrasting with a larger blaze near Bordeaux that has been declared "fixed."

it has been contained

— Simon BabreThe prefect of the Var department highlighted the progress made in controlling the wildfire.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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