France Wildfires Spread as Heatwave and Severe Drought Intensify Fire Risk

KUALA LUMPUR, JULY 2026 – Firefighters are battling expanding wildfires in southern France as a prolonged heatwave and worsening drought leave forests and vegetation highly vulnerable to rapidly spreading flames.

One of the latest fires affected the Fox-Amphoux communal forest near Pontevès in the Var department on July 21, where firefighting aircraft and helicopters were deployed to control the blaze. Images from the scene showed flames burning through woodland while thick smoke rose over the surrounding area.

Authorities said the Var wildfire burned approximately 500 hectares within several hours and continued spreading towards the nearby commune of Cotignac. The blaze was classified as out of control, while at least 150 people were evacuated from threatened areas.

The fire followed another fast-moving blaze near Fréjus and Les Arcs on France’s Mediterranean coast. That incident forced the evacuation of several small communities and temporarily suspended train services between Toulon and Les Arcs.

Local authorities said the earlier fire spread extremely quickly due to strong winds, intense heat and exceptional drought conditions. Around 180 hectares had already been scorched by the evening of July 19 as flames advanced towards homes in the French Riviera region.

France also recorded fatalities during the worsening fire emergency. Two firefighters were killed while responding to a wildfire near an airport in the Gironde region, which had been placed on high alert because of the elevated danger.

Météo-France reported that forest-fire danger remained high to very high around the Mediterranean coast, Corsica, the south-east and parts of central-western France. Dry winds, limited rainfall and increasingly dehydrated vegetation were expected to maintain hazardous conditions in several regions.

Temperatures remained particularly high near the Mediterranean on July 21, reaching 39.8 degrees Celsius in Le Luc in the Var department. Earlier in July, several locations recorded temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, including 42.1 degrees in Saintes and 41.2 degrees in Narbonne.

The national weather service said soil moisture across France had fallen to an exceptionally low level by July 17, reaching conditions not previously recorded so early in the summer season. The combination of limited rainfall and unusually high temperatures has progressively worsened drought conditions since late May.

Dry vegetation increases the likelihood of fires starting and allows flames to spread more easily. Météo-France said nine out of every 10 wildfires in the country are linked to human activity, with around half caused by carelessness or dangerous behaviour.

France is not the only European country confronting severe fire conditions. Wildfires, drought and temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius have also affected Spain, Greece and Italy during a series of intense heatwaves across the continent.

Scientists have warned that human-driven climate change is increasing the intensity of heatwaves, droughts and wildfires across Europe. Persistently hot weather, low humidity and increasingly dry vegetation are creating conditions in which fires can ignite more easily and become harder to contain.