Hundreds of firefighters fight a large forest fire in the southern French region of the Cevennes. About a hundred people in the municipality of Bordezac have had to leave their homes. The authorities in Nîmes report this in the night from Thursday to Friday. About 600 hectares of nature reserve have already gone up in flames.
Ten fire-fighting aircraft have been deployed in the area. On Friday, the number of firefighters fighting the fire will be increased to 950 and the number of fire trucks will increase to 140.
Fires have also broken out in other places in the south of the country after a prolonged drought. On the outskirts of the city of Arles, 120 firefighters fight the fire with firefighting planes and a helicopter. Eight residential buildings have been destroyed by the flames and businesses and vehicles from several car dealers have been reduced to ashes, a regional newspaper reported.
The fire is fueled by the so-called mistral. That is a strong wind that often rises in the valley of the Rhone. Due to the early and prolonged drought this year, nature in the south of France is just as dry at the beginning of July as it normally is at the beginning of August.