More than 200 firefighters battle new forest fire in Southern France

A large wildfire is raging in southern France, forcing the evacuation of residents and engaging over 200 firefighters. The blaze ignited Sunday afternoon in the Lozère region, northwest of Montpellier, and has spread rapidly.

As of Sunday evening, the fire had consumed approximately 90 hectares of land. Firefighting efforts include the deployment of four specialized water-dropping aircraft, with reinforcements en route. However, fire officials reported that the fire was not under control by 6:30 p.m. local time.

Two villages in the path of the flames, located in the commune of La Tieule, were evacuated around 5:00 p.m., affecting about 20 homes. The area is heavily wooded and extremely dry due to a prolonged drought, according to a leading fire chief in Lozère. Authorities have urged the public not to contact emergency services about the fire to avoid overloading the system.

This incident follows closely on the heels of another major wildfire in southwestern France, near Bordeaux, which was declared under control just over a week ago. That fire was described as the largest in France in decades.