12,000 evacuated as southern France continues to battle wildfires

A total of 12,000 people were evacuated on Tuesday as the wildfire in France’s southern Pyrenees-Orientales department continued to spread, according to broadcaster BFMTV.

Authorities told BFMTV that 12,000 people had to be evacuated due to the spread of the fire in the commune of Trevillach that forced the deployment of around 800 firefighters.

The prefect said the Pyrenees-Orientales wildfire has not yet been contained, burning 4,900 hectares (about 12,100 acres).

“We hope to contain the fire as quickly as possible, but I don’t think we’ll be able to do it today, given that the weather conditions are the same as yesterday,” said Colonel Eric Belgioino, head of the Pyrenees-Orientales Fire and Rescue Service.

The wildfire risk is stated as “very high” in three departments and “high” in 61 others, while an orange heat wave alert has been issued across 61 departments for Tuesday as temperatures are forecast to range from 35 degrees Celsius to 38 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit to 100 degrees Fahrenheit).

In southwestern France, highs of up to 41C (106F) are expected.

France’s national weather service said the heat is expected to persist through the end of the week.

“Nearly 14,500 hectares (about 35,800 acres) have already burned this season—almost three times more than at the same point last year,” Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu told the National Assembly on Monday.