Severe Fire Risk Alerts Issued Across Southeastern France amid Intensifying Weather Conditions
Severe fire risks are escalating in southeastern France due to intense weather conditions.
Key Points
- • Gard department under very severe fire risk on July 28, 2025.
- • Bouches-du-Rhône and Vaucluse issued red alerts for wildfires.
- • Recent wildfires have burned over 630 hectares in Aude, with new outbreaks reported.
- • Wind gusts expected to reach 100 km/h, heightening fire danger.
As of late July 27, 2025, southeastern France is under significant threat from wildfires due to an alarming combination of severe weather conditions. The Gard department is notably on high alert, facing a very severe fire risk as designated by the authorities for July 28, 2025. This area includes three specific zones: Costières Petite Camargue, Garrigues, and Gard Rodhanien, where access to forests, moors, and scrubland has been strictly prohibited to mitigate potential fire outbreaks. Residents and visitors are urged to remain updated through daily fire risk maps available online.
The forecast reveals that wind speeds in the region will intensify, reaching between 70-90 km/h and potentially gusting up to 100 km/h. This severe wind condition is part of an extended episode of mistral, which, coupled with ongoing drought conditions, has led to a dire situation for many areas, particularly in Bouches-du-Rhône and Vaucluse, which are also placed under a red fire alert. The prefecture in Bouches-du-Rhône has announced the closure of all forest massifs amid this escalating fire risk, categorizing it as the most threatened department in metropolitan France.
Adding to the urgency, the recent wildfires have already devastated around 630 hectares in the Aude department, where a new fire has also erupted in Hérault, emphasizing the extreme fire conditions prevailing in the region.
This adverse weather scenario is compounded by prior weeks of intense heat, which drastically dehydrated vegetation and increased the risk of fire ignitions along the Mediterranean coastline. Even though some areas in Languedoc received substantial rainfall—recording 74 mm in Perpignan and 55 mm in Narbonne since July 1—many regions remain critically dry, further raising concerns about the potential for new fire outbreaks. In total, four departments are currently under maximum alerts for fire risks—Bouches-du-Rhône and Vaucluse are on red alert, while Aude, Pyrénées-Orientales, and Var are under orange vigilance due to the extreme weather conditions that have persisted throughout the summer.