Thousands of holidaymakers flee wildfires in France

Campsite in Saint-Andre destroyed by wildfires in southwestern France. Credit: Charly Triballeau/AFP

Thousands of campers were evacuated from campsites in France as wildfires engulfed the country's southwest, close to the Spanish border.

About 500 hectares (1,235 acres) of land were scorched when 450 firefighters, supported by surveillance aircraft, fought to keep the blaze contained south of the city of Perpignan.

«The fires have been contained,» Rodrigue Fersi, a senior regional official, told local radio. But he added that the hardest-hit area is «under close surveillance and firefighters are still fighting the blaze.»

Up to 3,000 people living at four campsites in the region were evacuated on Monday evening as a precaution against the backdrop of a natural disaster. flames.

With the exception of «between 350 and 400 people,» campers were able to return to their campsites on Tuesday, Mr Fursi said.

Some lost their documents, money and cars in the fire, officials said.

Wildfires scorched about 500 hectares (1,235 acres) ) land south of the city of Perpignan. Photo: Raymond Roig/AFP

The bushfires initially broke out on Monday afternoon near the villages of Saint-André, Sored and the seaside resort of Argelès.

The flames quickly spread due to «extremely hot weather, drought and strong wind.

Nineteen firefighters were slightly injured, mostly from smoke inhalation, and one was hospitalized after falling, «the good news is that there were no casualties,» Mr Fursi added.

30 houses were affected. , as well as a warehouse and a campsite.

Several roads were closed and trains from Perpignan to the Spanish border were suspended for several hours.

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said that The situation has been brought under control and tribute has been paid to the firefighters.

Severe heat and drought prevail in the region

The Pyrenees-Orientales region bordering Spain has been hit the hardest by the devastating drought. Due to water shortages and extreme heat, water restrictions were imposed in various cities and the construction of new pools was prohibited.

The area was vulnerable due to “severe heat, drought and stormy winds up to 180 km/h «. «, — said the authorities.

Climate change is considered the cause of a series of forest fires in Europe and around the world this summer.

The fires forced tens of thousands of people in Greece, Spain, Portugal and other parts Europe is scheduled to be evacuated earlier this year, and in western Canada, smoke from a series of intense fires has blanketed a vast swath of the American Midwest and East Coast.

In Hawaii last week, devastating wildfires on the island of Maui have claimed the lives of at least At least 99 people, tens of thousands of residents and tourists were forced to evacuate the island and devastated the historic resort town of Lahaina in the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century.