French firefighters stabilize key blazes across southern departments

Firefighters across southern France continue to manage multiple wildfire fronts, achieving containment in several regions while remaining vigilant against persistent risks. In the Aude department, the blaze at Montséret, which burned roughly 100 hectares in the Corbières area, has been stabilized following prompt emergency response and local shelter-in-place advisories. Nearby, the Puilaurens wildfire remains active across 225 hectares, complicated by steep terrain and inaccessible hot spots.

In the Var department, emergency crews fully extinguished the primary fire, though local officials closed access to seven forest massifs due to extreme fire weather. Meanwhile, blazes in Drôme and Gironde have stopped advancing. Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced a scheduled visit to Gironde on August 17 to address post-fire recovery efforts. Official figures indicate that wildfires have burned over 115,000 hectares in France this year.

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