Environment2026-07-02
Firefighters battle wildfires in southern France after a European heatwave
Around 2,000 firefighters battled several wildfires along the Mediterranean coast in July 2026, with the largest blaze burning some 900 hectares in the Aude department near the Spanish border after weeks of dry, record-hot weather.
In early July 2026, roughly 2,000 firefighters battled several wildfires along France’s Mediterranean coast, fanned by strong winds after a record European heatwave. Three major blazes burned about 1,210 hectares combined, including a 900-hectare fire in the Aude department near the Spanish border; total burned area for the season nationwide reached 8,700 hectares by that point. More than 2,000 people were evacuated from campsites near Fréjus, though no casualties were reported.