French emergency services contain key blazes as nationwide fire toll exceeds 115,000 hectares

Firefighting efforts across southern France have stabilized several active blazes, though authorities maintain high vigilance due to severe weather conditions. In the Aude department, emergency crews contained a 100-hectare fire near Montséret in the Corbières massif after deploying 240 firefighters, 60 vehicles, and ten aircraft. Meanwhile, a separate 225-hectare wildfire in Puilaurens has stopped advancing but remains active in hard-to-reach terrain.

In the Var department, local blazes have been extinguished, yet access to seven forest massifs has been prohibited due to extreme fire risks. Additionally, progress on the Gironde mega-fire has stalled, with Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu scheduled to visit the area on August 17 to initiate regional restoration efforts. Official reports indicate that over 115,000 hectares have burned across France this year.

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