Wildfires spread across France as heat wave intensifies

Multiple wildfires were burning across France Friday as an intensifying heat wave fueled new outbreaks and strained firefighting efforts, with officials warning that any easing in fire danger over the weekend was likely to be temporary, broadcaster BFMTV reported.

New fires broke out in Marseille, threatening homes, as well as in the western Loire-Atlantique and the southwestern Lot departments.

Authorities closed several roads and urged residents to avoid affected areas.

Elsewhere, firefighters made progress in containing some of the country's largest blazes.

Officials in the Pyrenees-Orientales department said the wildfire near Trevillach was expected to be brought under control by the end of the day as cooler temperatures and higher humidity improved conditions.

Residents of the last evacuated communities were allowed to return home, although nearly 300 firefighters remained at the scene.

In central France, a wildfire that burned around 900 hectares in the Indre department was brought under control after several days.

Authorities said no one was injured and no homes were destroyed, but warned that the risk of reignition remained.

Julien Marion, director general for civil security and crisis management, said France could see "a brief respite" in wildfire conditions over the weekend, giving emergency crews time to recover, but warned the improvement would be short-lived.

He said more than 25,000 hectares have burned since the start of the year, about twice the area recorded during the same period in 2025, after more than 8,000 wildfires.

Officials say abundant vegetation following heavy rainfall, combined with successive heat waves, had created ideal conditions for fast-moving fires.

The latest outbreaks came as France expanded its highest heat wave alert, with nine western departments under red alert on Friday and more regions, including the Paris area, expected to join them on Saturday.