Major wildfire forces evacuations in southern France

Hundreds of firefighters have been mobilized to battle a major wildfire in the Herault and Aude departments of southern France. The blaze, fueled by drought and strong winds, has forced the evacuation of about 200 people from the communes of Pouzols-Minervois and Mailhac. By late evening, the fire had covered 800 hectares, according to the prefecture. "The fire is contained at times," a source in the prefecture told AFP around 11:00pm (2100 GMT), but "it is not under control." Conditions on the ground were difficult for firefighters, with no access routes in the hilly terrain. Water-dumping aircraft were being used to combat the flames. Temperatures of around 30 degrees Celsius combined with strong wind gusts drove the spread of the fire through low, very dry vegetation. One evacuated woman, Danielle, 99, from Pouzols, said: "The smoke was so thick, so suffocating that firefighters told us to leave." Two smaller blazes broke out in Rognac and Lancon-Provence near Marseille, according to local firefighters. The wildfire comes a year after major blazes in the Corbieres region and days after a deadly heatwave across much of Europe, with another one forecast. According to Mehr News, the situation remains critical as firefighters continue their efforts to contain the fire.