Thousands Evacuated as Fire Rages in Provence
Holiday makers were evacuated from three campsites in the Var region
Hot winds in the south eastern Var region fanned the flames of forest fires that spread quickly through the area around Frejus, between Cannes and St Tropez.
Thirty mobile homes were destroyed on one campsite and 10,000 people in total were evacuated as security services battled to get the blaze under control. The recent heatwave, soaring temperatures and lack of rain have caused increased risk of fires across the Provence and Cote d'Azur region.
Over 200 firemen and 50 fire trucks managed to get the fire under control. Many tourists were shocked at how quickly the fire took hold and quickly gathered as many belongings as they could before being asked to leave the campsites. The fire destroyed around 30 hectares of land near the town of Frejus.
Local authorities in Fréjus opened three gyms in the town to host some of the people evacuated from the campsites. But as firefighters brought the fires under control late on Monday, holidaymakers were told they would be able to return to the campsites that would reopen later in the evening.
With much of France affected by drought President Francois Hollande visited the Var area on Monday – before the fires broke out there – to observe an exercise in fighting forest fires.
“Unfortunately weather conditions are favourable to the fire starting up again [near Bordeaux] with the wind and the drought. We must be vigilant all over France,” he said.
