Lead

Firefighters are battling wildfires across southern France and other parts of Europe, with authorities warning that this year's fire season has started a month earlier than usual after early heatwaves in May and June left vegetation particularly dry and vulnerable, according to RFI.

Coverage Comparison

RFI reported that a major fire in southwestern France, near the Spanish border, has caused more than 10,000 people to be evacuated, with over 700 firefighters backed by water-bombing aircraft working to control the fast-moving blaze that has burned around 4,600 hectares since Saturday night. A firefighter and a local resident were injured, and officials warned that strong winds expected Monday could further fan the flames. Local authorities modified stage three of the Tour de France cycling race, which passes through the area, closing it to spectators to clear access for emergency services.

A separate RFI report described a major blaze in the Aude region, also near the Spanish border, where firefighters were battling on Thursday to bring the fire under control after flames spread through dry vegetation in difficult conditions. The fire, which began on Wednesday, came days after a record-breaking heatwave across much of Europe, and France's weather office warned that another spell of extreme heat could hit the following week. By late Wednesday, the blaze had covered 800 hectares, with the local prefecture noting that the fire was "contained at times, but not under control." Around 200 people were evacuated or confined in the communes of Pouzols-Minervois and Mailhac.

Key Claims

Across France, Portugal, Spain, and Greece, more than 19,000 hectares of land have been devastated by wildfires, with fires burning in protected natural areas and forcing evacuations in several countries. Hundreds of firefighters battled a wildfire in the mountains of the southeastern Drôme department, while another fire near Nîmes, in the Gard, burned more than 540 hectares before being brought under control, although it remains active. Around 70 people were evacuated, and some homes and vehicles were damaged.

The region remains under an orange heatwave alert, with temperatures reaching 40°C. Large parts of France and other parts of Europe are on alert after an unusually early and intense heatwave at the end of June, with forecasters warning that hot, dry conditions continue to increase the risk of new fires.

French fire service Colonel Eric Belgioino connected the early fires to the changing climate, saying, "Climate change is here, we are living the consequences and it is only the start of July."

A separate analysis by RFI highlighted the broader pressures on French forests, which are increasingly threatened by climate change, drought, disease, and insect pests, as well as more frequent fires. French forests absorb around 50 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year, representing nearly 10 percent of national emissions. However, the French government's draft third National Low-Carbon Strategy proposes increasing annual timber harvests from 53 million cubic meters to 60 million cubic meters by 2030. The environmental organisation Canopée argues that this planned increase would reduce the forest carbon sink by around 11 million tonnes of CO2 per year from 2030 onwards.