Forest Fire in Southern France: Around 1,100 Firefighters Battle the Flames

The fire department said dozens of houses had been damaged by the flames; according to other reports, 30 to 40 buildings had been damaged by the flames. There have been no injuries so far. However, the emergency services prevented the flames from spreading to hundreds of additional houses.

Situation in the Var Département

Across France, authorities are reporting a record area of burned land this year: between January and mid-July, more than 42,000 hectares of land fell victim to the flames, surpassing the previous record set in 2022.

Record Levels of Burned Area

Severe fires are also being reported from Spain. Some 60 kilometers northeast of Madrid, a fire has been raging since Thursday and, after a night-time deployment of more than 600 emergency personnel, has been "practically stopped" from advancing toward the provincial capital Soria, as authorities reported. Emiliano García-Page, president of the affected region of Castilla-La Mancha, said one could already see "the light at the end of the tunnel." García-Page had previously spoken of the worst forest fire in the region's history.

Forest Fire Near Madrid Under Control

Estimates indicate that around 29,000 hectares have burned in the area near Madrid — a territory almost as large as the city of Bremen. Around 1,200 people had to be evacuated there. In the morning, dense clouds of smoke hung over several city districts. According to official figures, the flames are no longer spreading.

In Italy, the ongoing heat wave is hitting the country's second-largest island, Sardinia, particularly hard, where several forest fires are raging. On Sicily, too, fires are spreading, fanned by the hot desert wind Scirocco, which blows across the Mediterranean from North Africa.

Italy and Sicily Affected

In Palermo, the island's capital, a temperature of 42.4 degrees was recorded the previous day; the highest temperature ever registered on the island was 46.2 degrees. During the night, power outages occurred repeatedly in the city itself. More than 100 people had to be brought to safety in the municipality of Santo Stefano in Palermo's hinterland because the flames had approached too close to the town.

For the affected regions, temperatures above 37 degrees are also expected today. Experts attribute the surge in fires to the unusually humid winter and the wet spring, which had favored strong growth of grasses, shrubs and underbrush that subsequently dried out due to heat waves and a lack of rainfall.

France, meanwhile, is mourning two firefighters who died on Tuesday while battling a fire at the airport in Bordeaux. The fire department stated that the two had been trapped by the flames inside their response vehicle. They were the first fatal victims of the current wave of fires.

Two Dead at Bordeaux Airport

While the operation in southern France continues, there are also initial signs of hope from the region. "There are still many smoldering hotspots and flames are flaring up again in numerous places, which is why we are very vigilant this morning," said Eric Grohin, fire department spokesperson. However, the forest fire is largely under control, according to the operation's command.

First Signs of Hope

Across France, the highest forest fire danger level applies in several départements. The population is called upon to avoid unnecessary trips into the affected areas and to refrain from open flames outdoors. In Spain, too, country roads have been closed to avoid hampering emergency services.

Weather services are forecasting no significant cooling in the coming days. Only in the second half of the week is a slight drop in temperatures expected, which could ease the work of the fire services. Until then, the situation remains tense.

The European Union has meanwhile offered assistance through the civil protection mechanism. Firefighting aircraft and helicopters from neighboring countries are to reinforce the emergency teams in southern France and Spain in the coming days. Italy has also stationed additional firefighting aircraft on Sardinia.

Scientists point out that the surge in extreme forest fires in Southern Europe is linked to climate change. Longer drought phases and higher temperatures cause vegetation to dry out faster and significantly increase the risk of fire.

Background: Climate Change and Fire Risk

The overall situation in the region illustrates how vulnerable Southern European landscapes have become to extreme weather events. While the fires near Madrid have been brought under control, the operations in southern France, Sicily and Sardinia remain critical.

The fire department in southern France announced that the operation would continue for several days. Even after the open flames are extinguished, the terrain must continue to be monitored to prevent reignition. Authorities called on residents to observe the cordons and follow the instructions of the emergency services.

Strong winds are also expected in the coming days, which could further fan the fires. The prefecture of the Var département warns of possible further evacuations should the flames spread again.