With eight departments in the south of France under an orange heatwave warning issued by Météo France, the fire service remains on high alert this Thursday, 6 August 2026. Our alert map (based on a combination of data from Météo France and the prefectures) classifies the fire risk as “very high” in the Aude, the Bouches-du-Rhône, the Drôme, the Hérault, the Pyrénées-Orientales and the Vaucluse, and “extreme” in the Var.
Access to the mountain ranges is prohibited.
Drôme: the fire in Bellegarde-en-Diois has been brought under control but remains under observation
In the Drôme, the fire that ravaged 240 hectares in Bellegarde-en-Diois has now been brought under control. No spread was observed overnight, but a few residual hotspots remain, notably beneath a rocky outcrop near Beaumont-en-Diois. As these hotspots are inaccessible, they do not pose an immediate danger, but the teams are maintaining a high level of vigilance.
The fire brigade, comprising 325 firefighters – including 198 reinforcements from other departments – worked through the night to secure the perimeter. Over 3 km of tracks were cleared to provide access to the affected areas. The aim for the day is to complete the containment of the fire and tackle the firelines. Weather conditions, with falling humidity and gusts of up to 15 km/h, could complicate the task.
Preliminary report: 7 firefighters suffered minor injuries; there were no civilian casualties and no homes were destroyed.
Var: the Gros Bessillon massif is still engulfed in flames
In the Var, the situation remains critical. Having consumed 8,000 hectares, including part of the town of Correns, the fire in the Gros Bessillon massif is still not under control. The Var prefecture is bracing for a “very high-risk day” due to the mistral picking up, with gusts expected to reach up to 50 km/h and temperatures approaching 40 °C locally.
Firefighters, already deployed in large numbers, are preparing to tackle flare-ups fanned by the westerly wind. The fire-fighting operation continues unabated, whilst access to the department’s mountain ranges remains prohibited.
Increased risk in the Mediterranean region
The combination of the heatwave, strong winds and drought is putting the departments in the south of France at particular risk. The authorities are urging people to exercise caution, as the weather conditions are set to remain unfavourable over the coming days.