A wildfire that erupted on the Mediterranean coast in Aude on Saturday morning continues to spread, having already ravaged 610 hectares of vegetation and severely damaged two houses, according to local officials.
Over 630 firefighters are battling to get the blaze under control, which remains uncontained, said Rémi Recio, the sub-prefect of Aude, in a statement to AFP.
Firefighters are hoping to gain control of the flames on Sunday with the aid of two Canadair aircraft and two water-bombing helicopters starting at 9:30, although winds gusting up to 80 km/h are expected later in the morning, he added.
On Saturday, two homes in Sigean were heavily damaged by the fire, with one almost entirely destroyed, the sources confirmed.
All residents and holidaymakers, roughly one thousand people, who were evacuated from Port-la-Nouvelle as a precaution, were allowed to return to their homes and campsites by Saturday evening.
Météo-France had issued an orange alert for Aude for Saturday, warning of a “high risk” of wildfires.
