Corsica wildfire forces 200 evacuations near Ajaccio

An intense storm, likely involving lightning strikes, triggered a wildfire near Ajaccio in Corsica during the night of Monday to Tuesday. The fire led to the spontaneous evacuation of approximately 200 residents from the Castagnola residential area in the commune of Alata, despite official recommendations to remain sheltered in place.

Firefighters from Corse-du-Sud reported that the blaze did not pose an immediate threat to homes. The situation stabilized around 3:45 AM, allowing residents to return to their houses once the fire was nearly contained. The Château de la Punta, a historic monument overlooking the Gulf of Ajaccio, was also in the vicinity but was not in immediate danger.

Severe weather alerts were in effect for the Corsican departments, with Météo-France issuing orange warnings for thunderstorms. The region experienced violent winds with gusts reaching between 100 and 130 km/h during the storm.