Fires force evacuation of 10,000 in French Riviera
BORMES-LES-MIMOSAS: Authorities ordered the evacuation of 10,000 people as fires hopscotched around the French Riviera for a third day on Wednesday, tearing through the forest of La Londe-les-Maures.
A violent fire took off in the dry Mediterranean forests around La Londe the night before, and 540 firefighters were sent into the region, the prefect of the Var region, the top state official, said in a statement.
About 3,000 campers were among those evacuated from La Londe and nearby Bormes-les-Mimosas and La Lavandou, the statement said.
Fires began raging along the coast on Monday, forcing smaller, scattered evacuations with flames reaching a corner of Saint-Tropez. Since noon on Tuesday, firefighters had conducted about 100 operations.
France’s Mediterranean coast is particularly vulnerable to fires, with its massive back-country forests, often dry in the summer, and Mistral winds blowing across the sea to fan flames. Smoke blew across the shores from the fires.
No injuries have been reported among residents and vacationers.