X051-FRANCIA INCENDIO FORESTAL SUR DEL PAIS

A wildfire that tore through wooded hillsides in southeastern France left a trail of destruction across the dry landscape of Cotignac on Wednesday (July 22).

Firefighters continued hosing vegetation with water, as smoke rose from parched forest land and burning logs crackled.

The blaze, which broke out on Tuesday in the Var department, burned through around 2,500 hectares (6,177 acres) of vegetation and prompted the evacuation of 300-400 people from communities including Correns, Cotignac and Montfort, in Var department.

Around 800 firefighters were mobilised to battle the fire, which was still dotted with hotspots on Wednesday despite progress in containing it.

Southern Europe has experienced increasingly intense wildfire seasons in recent years as climate change drives hotter and drier conditions across the Mediterranean region.

Emergency crews remained deployed across the affected area on Wednesday.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Firefighters battle wildfire in parched forest in southern France

VIDEO SHOWS: FIREFIGHTERS TACKLING FIRE / FIREFIGHTING PLANE FLYING OVERHEAD / SMOKE RISING / FIREFIGHTERS SPRAYING WATER ON GROUND / FLAMES BURNING ON STUMP OF TREE

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: COTIGNAC, FRANCE (JULY 22, 2026) (AGENCY POOL - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF FIREFIGHTERS SPRAYING WATER ON VEGETATION

2. SMOKE RISING FROM GROUND

3. VARIOUS OF FIREFIGHTERS SPRAYING WATER ON BURNED VEGETATION

4. FIRE ENGINES ON ROAD IN FOREST

5. VARIOUS OF TREE STUMP BURNING

6. FIREFIGHTERS SPRAYING WATER

7. BURNT VEGETATION/ SMOKE RISING

8. VARIOUS OF TREE STUMP BURNING

9. VARIOUS OF FIREFIGHTERS TACKLING FIRE/ SMOKE SPREADING

10. FIREFIGHTERS TALKING AND LOOKING ON