Forest fires have swept through southern France following a heat wave
Southern France is suffering from massive wildfires that broke out after a week of extreme heat. The situation is most critical near Marseille, where firefighters continue to battle two large blazes simultaneously.
One of the fires broke out in the municipality of Rognac, where the blaze destroyed about 50 hectares of forest.
As the flames spread, residents of several buildings were evacuated, and six cars were damaged.
In addition, train service on the line between Marseille and Miramas has been temporarily suspended due to the fire. Disruptions are expected to last at least another half a day.
An even larger fire broke out in Lanson-Provence, where the flames have already engulfed about 200 hectares of forest. Firefighters worked throughout the night to contain the blaze, but have not yet managed to extinguish it.
A serious situation has also developed in the municipality of Fréjus near Cannes, where about 2,200 people were evacuated from campgrounds due to the threat of the fire spreading.
More than 300 firefighters, specialized ground equipment, as well as Canadair amphibious aircraft and firefighting helicopters have been deployed to fight the fire.
Another major fire broke out in the Finistère department in the Brittany region in the northwest of the country. There, the fire destroyed about 30 hectares of forest, and more than 500 firefighters were deployed to extinguish the blaze.
French emergency services continue to battle the fires and are monitoring the situation, which remains challenging due to hot weather and strong winds that are fueling the rapid spread of the flames.
[#Operations]
The #Pompiers13 are responding to two simultaneous fires @VilleDeRognac @Mairie_Lancon. Operations are aimed at protecting homes and sensitive industrial sites.
#Pompiers13 urges the public to follow the authorities’ instructions. pic.twitter.com/ZHEFm5THBS— Pompiers13 (@Pompiers_13) July 1, 2026
This was reported by BFMTV.
As a reminder, 1,028 deaths directly linked to extreme weather conditions were recorded in Spain during June.
In Ukraine, the heat continues, with rain and thunderstorms possible in some areas.
A meteorologist explained when cooler weather will arrive in Ukraine.
