Several hundred hectares of pine forest burned on Monday in a fire affecting three communes in France's Pyrénées-Orientales department, leading to the evacuation of several campsites, according to administrative authorities in the southern department.
More than 3,000 persons have been evacuated, France 24 television channel reported.
The affected area includes the communes of Argelès-sur-Mer, Saint-André and Palau del Vidre, around 20-25 kilometres from the departmental capital, Perpignan.
Some 550 firefighters, including 150 from the department, were mobilised, as well as eight Canadair aircraft, three Dash aircraft, three water-bombing helicopters and two reconnaissance and coordination aircraft.
“An extremely violent fire is underway in the Pyrénées-Orientales. I call on the population and holidaymakers to be extremely vigilant,” Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, wrote on X (ex Twitter).
