Firefighters contain Corbières blaze as French wildfire risks remain high

French emergency services have contained a wildfire in the Corbières massif after it swept through 100 hectares near Montséret in the Aude department. Rapid deployment of aerial and ground crews brought the fire under control following temporary confinement orders for nearby residents. Meanwhile, another blaze in Puilaurens remains active over 225 hectares due to challenging, steep terrain.

Elsewhere, fire services report steady progress. Blazes in Gironde and Drôme have halted their advance, while fires in the Var region are fully extinguished, though authorities banned access to seven forest massifs due to extreme fire danger. Official figures show that wildfires have consumed 115,000 hectares across France this year. Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu will visit Gironde on 17 August to launch reconstruction efforts.

Sources: Le Figaro, Le Monde, Le Soir, Libération, RTBF Info