French firefighters contain several blazes as year's wildfire toll exceeds 115,000 hectares

Nexus Europa Newsroom
Posted Oct 24, 2026, 03:30 AM UTC · In the digest of 2026-10-24-0330
French firefighters contain several blazes as year's wildfire toll exceeds 115,000 hectares
Photo: RTBF Info

French firefighters make progress against widespread wildfires, bringing blazes in Aude and Gironde under control as total burned land passes 115,000 hectares.

Firefighters across southern France continue battling persistent wildfires, achieving containment across several fronts while facing ongoing challenges in remote areas. In the Aude department, emergency teams stabilized a 100-hectare blaze near Montséret, though a separate 225-hectare fire in Puilaurens remains active due to steep, inaccessible terrain.

Elsewhere, authorities confirmed blazes in the Var department are fully extinguished, though extreme conditions prompted access bans across seven forest massifs. Fire activity has also halted in Gironde, where Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu is scheduled to visit on August 17 to launch regional reconstruction efforts. Official figures indicate that wildfires have destroyed over 115,000 hectares nationwide this year.

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

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