Wildfire risk rises across southern France as wind, drought intensify conditions

Several departments in southern and western France are facing an elevated wildfire risk this week, with authorities warning of very high” danger levels on Wednesday due to strengthening winds and persistently dry conditions, broadcaster BFMTV reported on Tuesday.

Eight departments were placed under a "high” wildfire risk alert on Tuesday, including Pyrenees-Orientales, Aude, Herault, Gard, Bouches-du-Rhone, Vaucluse, Deux-Sevres and Maine-et-Loire.

The “high” alert level indicates that “meteorological conditions significantly increase the risk of wildfire ignition and spread compared with seasonal norms,” the national forecasting service said.

On Wednesday, six of those departments are expected to move to the highest “very high” alert level as tramontane and mistral winds strengthen, with gusts forecast to reach 70–80 km/h (43–50 mph).

The warning also extends to western Var, while Drome and Ardeche are expected to remain under “high” alert.

Forecasters said the heightened risk is driven by a combination of strong winds, prolonged drought and several weeks of extreme heat, which have significantly dried out vegetation across the country.

“The dry soil situation has become established over a long period following more than two months of rainfall deficits and is worsening day by day,” Meteo-France said.

The national weather agency added that current conditions are comparable to those seen during some of the country's most severe droughts since records began in 1959.

Fire officials have warned that the risk is likely to remain elevated in the coming days before gradually easing as winds weaken later in the week.