Fast-moving wildfire forces evacuations in southern France
A wildfire broke out Sunday in the Lozere region of southern France, prompting the evacuation of two hamlets as more than 200 firefighters battled the blaze. The fire had burned roughly 90 hectares by late afternoon and remained uncontained.
A wildfire erupted on Sunday in the Lozere region of southern France, roughly 140 kilometres northwest of Montpellier, and spread rapidly through the afternoon. It started around 12:45 pm local time, with officials suggesting a vehicle fire on a nearby road may have sparked the blaze.
By late afternoon, the flames had consumed about 90 hectares of land and continued to expand. Around 220 firefighters from Lozere and surrounding departments were deployed to the scene, supported by four Canadair water-bomber planes and one Dash aircraft, with additional reinforcements being sent in.
Fire officials said the blaze was still not under control. At around 5:00 pm, authorities evacuated two hamlets in the municipality of La Tieule that lay directly in the fire's path, affecting about 20 homes.
Marc Toulouse, a senior fire officer in Lozere, described the area as heavily wooded and extremely dry, saying the current drought is unlike anything seen there in a long time.
Local officials asked residents to refrain from calling emergency services to report the fire, warning that extra calls could overwhelm crews already engaged in fighting the blaze. A road connecting La Tieule and Le Recoux has also been closed to traffic.
