Advertisement

Firefighter seriously injured battling new wildfires in southern France

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
Firefighter seriously injured battling new wildfires in southern France
Smoke from a wildfire near Aubais, southern France, caused the closure of the motorway. Photo by Benjamin GALY / AFP

More wildfires broke out in southeastern France on Sunday, with 350 hectares burned in Gard where a firefighter was seriously injured.

Advertisement

A 35 hectare fire near near Marseille caused the partial closures of motorways.

"Four firefighters are injured," announced Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin in a tweet about the fire which broke out around 3pm in a pine forest in the town of Aubais, south of Nimes.

One of them was "seriously injured" and had to be evacuated by helicopter to the Montpellier hospital centre for burns to the hands and face.

Advertisement

The others were more slightly injured following a reversal of the flames by the wind which partly destroyed their vehicle, Eric Agrinier, who coordinated the operations, told AFP.

Meanwhile fires in the Gironde département which broke out in mid July are still not fully extinguished, although they are contained and the famous sand dune Dune du Pilat has re-opened to visitors. Firefighters remain in the area to contain any new outbreaks. 

MAP Where are there wildfires in France right now

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also