French PM warns of unusually early severe wildfires as evacuations spread in the south

Wildfires arrive weeks early

France is already facing what Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu described as a "very premature onset" of fairly severe wildfires, with major blazes breaking out weeks earlier than usual in the south.

Lecornu said the season is arriving about 15 days to three weeks ahead of schedule, and linked the danger to heat, drought and dry vegetation.

He also said there had already been about 7,000 fire outbreaks since the start of the summer season, with roughly 8,700 hectares burned.

Crisis response in the south

The main active fires were in southern France, including the Aude and Hérault areas and blazes in the Bouches-du-Rhône department around Marseille.

As the situation worsened, the government held an interministerial crisis committee in Marseille.

Authorities deployed around 800 firefighters and water-bomber aircraft to try to contain the fires.

Local officials said strong winds, dry vegetation and continuing high temperatures were making conditions worse and raising the risk of further spread.

Evacuations near Perpignan

The clearest sign of the emergency came in Canet-en-Roussillon, near Perpignan, where fires forced evacuations from campsites and threatened nearby areas.

AP reported that 1,500 people were evacuated from three campsites. Le Monde reported the number at 3,000.

The different figures reflect separate reporting, but both accounts point to a fast-moving evacuation in a tourist area under immediate threat.

Restrictions and fire risk

Access to most forested areas in southeastern departments was banned during the crisis as officials tried to reduce the chance of new ignitions and rapid spread.

The restrictions show how quickly fire danger has escalated across the south as hot, dry conditions persist.

Lecornu said 9 out of 10 wildfires are caused by humans, whether accidentally or intentionally, underscoring the prevention challenge alongside the emergency response.

What comes next

Fire crews are expected to keep working to contain the southern blazes as elevated temperatures and wind continue to threaten new flare-ups.

Officials are likely to keep access restrictions in place if conditions remain severe, and further local evacuations are possible if any fire front accelerates.

The immediate concern is that the current outbreak may be an early signal of a longer and more destructive wildfire season, with pressure growing on civil-security resources if the pace of outbreaks continues.

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