Overview
- A major wildfire near Perpignan has burned about 4,900 hectares and forced the evacuation of roughly 12,000 people, with firefighters using tactical backburns to hold lines.
- French authorities have mobilized about 800 firefighters and requested additional aircraft from domestic and European partners to fight the Pyrenees blaze.
- A 22‑year‑old volunteer firefighter in Savoy died while fighting a separate fire after being struck by a falling rock, an official confirmed.
- Investigators are probing several blazes for human causes, including a suspected angle‑grinder ignition in Catalonia, while multiple German fires and large recycling/plastic‑waste blazes have generated toxic smoke and health warnings.
- Experts say the persistent heatwave, prolonged lack of rain and strong dry winds are amplifying fire behaviour, stretching mutual‑aid capacities and raising the risk of further large fires as the season continues.