Southern France battled a fierce wildfire on Wednesday, forcing evacuations as hundreds of firefighters tackled the blaze. Fueled by drought and strong winds, the fire consumed 800 hectares in the Herault and Aude departments. Difficult terrain hampered efforts, with water-dumping aircraft deployed. Two smaller fires also ignited near Marseille, highlighting a concerning trend following a recent European heatwave.

Southern France battled a fierce wildfire on Wednesday, forcing evacuations as hundreds of firefighters tackled the blaze. Fueled by drought and strong winds, the fire consumed…