Var department wildfires in France

A major wildfire in the Var department of France, centered near the Gros Bessillon massif, has been officially extinguished after becoming the longest fire in the department’s history. Initially declared on July 21 near Pontevès, the blaze burned approximately 6,300 hectares across seven communes, including Correns, Cotignac, and Carcès.

At the height of the crisis, over 1,000 firefighters were mobilized, with a total of 11,000 French and European personnel involved in the month-long containment effort. The fire necessitated the evacuation of roughly 6,000 people and caused damage to dozens of homes. The local wine industry suffered significant losses as numerous vineyards were destroyed just before the harvest season; notably, half of the surface area of Correns was burned.

Authorities have investigated multiple fire starts in the area, with officials noting that some flare-ups may have been of criminal origin. Following the disaster, President Emmanuel Macron visited the region and pledged that affected municipalities would receive aid mechanisms similar to those provided to areas in Gironde.