The fire, which broke out at midday on Tuesday in a field near Pontevès, quickly spread to the Gros Bessillon mountain in the Var hinterland. The forest fire has consumed 2,550 hectares in this mountain range in the Var and continues to threaten several towns, despite an exceptional mobilisation of emergency services. Inspector-General Éric Grohin, departmental director of the Var Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS), told BFMTV that “it was not a quiet night”, with the flames coming dangerously close to the villages of Cotignac, Montfort-sur-Argens and Correns.
A night of intense efforts to protect residential areas
Firefighters, deployed in large numbers, managed to safeguard several sensitive sites, including the Monastery of Saint Joseph and the Sanctuary of Notre-Dame. Up to 1,200 firefighters were deployed on the ground to contain the flames and secure homes. Despite these efforts, the fire continued to spread throughout the night, although its rate of spread has now been slowed.
Reinforced aerial operations to tackle hotspots
The director of the SDIS confirmed that the fire is now “contained”, but numerous hotspots remain within the perimeter. Surveillance operations, edge treatment and water bombing are continuing to prevent the fire from reigniting. Aerial resources, including two Canadair aircraft, two Dash aircraft and a command helicopter, are due to resume their rotations this morning, with particular attention being paid to the Cotignac area. On Thursday, weather conditions are expected to deteriorate, raising concerns that it will be a difficult day for the emergency services. Everyone must remain vigilant.
To follow the progress of the current fires in France, consult our fire map. You can also report a fire or check the weather alert levels in the Var.