Nearly 3,000 Evacuated As France Battles Multiple Wildfires After Heatwave

Last Updated:July 03, 2026, 01:50 IST

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who chaired a crisis meeting in Marseille, said the country was witnessing an unusually early wildfire season.

Nearly 3,000 people were evacuated from parts of southern France as multiple wildfires spread across the Mediterranean coast following last month’s record-breaking heatwave.

Tourists and residents were moved to safety after a fire broke out at a campsite in Sainte-Marie-la-Mer on Thursday before spreading to the neighbouring town of Canet-en-Roussillon. The blaze destroyed dozens of mobile homes and reached the marina, where thick smoke engulfed boats.

Firefighters said around half of those evacuated were from three campsites in the affected area. Television footage showed warehouses and a yacht on fire in the marina, while local authorities said the airport in nearby Perpignan was closed.

Two firefighters sustained minor injuries, according to Pierre Regnault de La Mothe, the top official for the Pyrenees-Orientales department.

Around 200 firefighters and four water-bombing helicopters were deployed to tackle the fire in Canet-en-Roussillon, while nearly 2,000 firefighters, including volunteers and military personnel, were mobilised across southern France on Wednesday and Thursday to battle multiple blazes.

Also Read: Over 1,300 Killed As Intense Heatwave Smothers Europe, France Among Worst-Hit Nations | Videos

“We are mobilising a large network of volunteers," said the prefect.

Authorities also battled a major wildfire in the Aude department, where nearly 700 firefighters were deployed as strong winds of up to 70 kilometres per hour fuelled the flames. The fire had scorched about 900 hectares by Thursday.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who chaired a crisis meeting in Marseille, said the country was witnessing an unusually early wildfire season.

“We must acknowledge that they are occurring roughly 15 days to three weeks earlier than the usual periods," he said.

Lecornu said 7,000 wildfires had been recorded since the start of the season, with 8,700 hectares already destroyed.

The prime minister said the early onset and intensity of the fires would require “a great deal of endurance" from authorities and firefighters.

The World Meteorological Organization has said the record-breaking heatwave that swept western Europe in June increased the risk of wildfires because of sustained high temperatures, low humidity and dry vegetation.

The Meteo-France weather agency has warned that another spell of high temperatures is expected to affect the country next week, though it is not forecast to be as intense as the June heatwave.

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