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A massive new wildfire in southwestern France burnt 1,100 hectares of land and forced authorities to evacuate over 500 people.
Tinderbox conditions and relentless heatwaves continue to fuel devastating forest fires across the region this summer.
The fire broke out on Thursday in the Landes department as France faced yet another wave of extreme heat.
Around 500 firefighters mobilised to battle the blaze, which crept within a few hundred metres of the village of Luglon inside the Landes de Gascogne nature park.
Although thick smoke blanketed the area on Friday morning, crews successfully defended all homes from destruction.
Fire chief Arnaud Fabre noted that the fire’s progress had slowed but warned that rising temperatures—expected to reach 36°C—could trigger dangerous flare-ups.
Describing the situation as critical, prefect Gilles Clavreul emphasised that the coming hours would determine their success.
The latest blaze strikes as officials evaluate widespread damage from earlier summer fires, including a historic burn in neighbouring Gironde.
