Pyrénées‑Orientales wildfire forces 12,000 evacuations in France

A wildfire ignited on Saturday night near Trévillach, about 30 km west of Perpignan in the French Pyrénées‑Orientales department. By early July the fire had scorched roughly 4,600‑4,900 ha of forest and scrubland. The blaze prompted the evacuation of up to 12,000 residents from 26 municipalities, including the maciço of Les Aspres and the town of Ille‑sur‑Têt.

More than 800‑850 firefighters, about 200 ground vehicles and a fleet of aerial assets—Canadair water‑bombers, DASH water‑dropping planes, helicopters and additional European aircraft—have been deployed. Prefect Pierre Regnault de la Mothe said officials are using “tactical firebreaks” to contain the fire, but the head of the fire service warned the fire remains uncontained due to extreme heat, low humidity and shifting winds. Eleven people suffered light injuries, among them seven firefighters and a resident.

The heat wave accompanying the blaze has raised temperatures to 40‑41 °C across the region, triggering an orange alert for 61 French departments. The fire forced the third stage of the Tour de France, which runs from Granollers (Spain) to Les Angles (France), to be run without spectators on the French side. European assistance includes Romanian firefighters and other civil‑protection resources, underscoring the cross‑border dimension of the emergency.