Homes evacuated as wildfires engulf southern French town

This photograph shows burning vegetation next to a road near Frontignan as a fire hit 300 hectares in the Herault department southern France on August 18, 2024. Agence France-Presse

MARSEILLE, France — Dozens of residents of the southwestern French town of Frontignan were evacuated on Sunday as wildfires burned through a nearby pine forest, local authorities said.

A total of 600 firefighters, 11 water bombers and two helicopters have been deployed to contain the blaze, local civil security authorities said on X.

The fire, which has already destroyed 300 hectares (740 acres) of land, ignited near the A9 highway from Montpellier to the Spanish border but is moving inland towards the Gardiole mountains. The homes at their foot “were evacuated and are being protected”, the prefecture said.

READ: Wildfire burns 250 hectares of pine, injures firefighters in France

Frontignan, a town of 24,000 people southwest of Montpellier, triggered its local emergency plan around 6 pm local time (1600 GMT).

Evacuations were ongoing Sunday, the mayor of Frontignan’s cabinet director told AFP, with “several dozen homes” still at risk. Remaining residents have been asked to stay put.

Streets in the town were closed off to traffic to allow firefighters and law enforcement to operate more smoothly.

READ: France halts spread of ‘monster’ wildfire, reopens highway

Evacuees are being housed in a sports hall, the municipality said.

Firefighters emptied the swimming pools of private homeowners to tackle the blaze, the mayor’s cabinet director said.

Responders are struggling to predict the direction of the fire due to strong winds, he added.