Six Southern French Departments on "Very High Danger" Fire Alert Amid Severe Drought

Six departments in southern France face a "very high danger" alert for fires on Wednesday, as strong winds combine with a severe, prolonged drought.

The Pyrénées-Orientales, Aude, Hérault, Gard, Bouches-du-Rhône, and Vaucluse departments are on the highest alert level. This "red" level is attributed to a significant increase in wind, with the tramontane and mistral gusts potentially reaching 70-80 km/h. This is occurring against a backdrop of critically dry soil conditions, which have persisted for over two months due to a substantial deficit in rainfall.

Further east, the Var, Ardèche, and Drôme departments are on "high danger" (orange) alert. The strong winds are expected to continue through Thursday before gradually subsiding. Météo-France noted that the very hot and dry weather of recent weeks has considerably accelerated the drying of vegetation nationwide, creating conditions ripe for fires.

The current soil conditions are described as similar to those observed during major historical fire events since measurements began in 1959. Météo-France stated that the soil dryness has become "durably established across the country" and is worsening daily, highlighting the critical fire risk.