French emergency services contain several wildfires while high risk persists in south

Firefighters in southern France have contained several wildfires, though emergency services remain on high alert due to ongoing risk. In the Aude department, emergency crews stabilized the blaze near Montséret after it burned approximately 100 hectares. Meanwhile, the wildfire in Puilaurens remains active across 225 hectares, where difficult terrain continues to impede access to remaining hot spots.

Across other affected regions, the fire in the Var department has been extinguished, while blazes in Drôme and Gironde have stopped advancing. Despite these improvements, prefectural authorities in Var banned public access to seven forest massifs due to extreme fire conditions. Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu is scheduled to visit Gironde on August 17 to oversee local restoration plans. Official reports confirm that over 115,000 hectares have burned nationwide this year.

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