Key facts
- A wildfire in southwestern France has burned 42,000 hectares of forest and resort areas.
- The blaze forced the evacuation of 224,000 people, with 144,000 allowed to return.
- Firefighters are working to control remaining hot spots, aided by cooler temperatures and higher humidity.
- Authorities have arrested 308 individuals in connection with the fires.
- Ukraine is sending 70 civil security personnel and 10 vehicles to assist French firefighters.
Firefighters in southwestern France were working on Friday to control the final hot spots of a massive wildfire that has scorched 42,000 hectares (about 162 square miles) of pine forest and tourist areas in the Bordeaux region. The blazes, which have not spread for several days, have forced thousands to flee their homes. Officials noted that lower temperatures and higher humidity overnight were assisting fire crews in their efforts to manage the remaining fires along dunes of fine sand.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez expressed cautious optimism, stating the situation was "stabilized, but not totally stopped," with hot spots remaining. Police and investigators are examining the origins of the wildfire, considering both deliberate ignition by repeat offenders and negligence as possible causes. As of Friday, 308 people, including over 120 minors, had been arrested in connection with the fires, with 33 facing court rulings. Nunez also announced that Ukraine would dispatch 70 civil security personnel and 10 vehicles to aid French firefighters.
Meanwhile, other parts of Europe continued to battle fires. In England, firefighters worked for a third day on a wildfire near a nuclear power station in Suffolk. The fire near Dunwich Heath, which burned about 150 hectares (370 acres), was stabilized but not fully under control due to its scale and unpredictable winds, according to Deputy Chief Fire Officer Henry Griffin.