Despite chilly February temperatures, forest fire destroys hectares in France

A vegetation fire has ripped through 130 hectares in the French town of Mouriès. - Copyright FT / EBU

By Euronews with AFP

Published on 05/02/2023 - 13:40

In France's first major fire of the year, a blaze scorched about 130 hectares of land in the south of the country.

A vegetation fire has scorched more than 130 hectares near the French town of Mouriès.

The blaze broke out at around 5:30 am on Saturday. Some 230 firefighters were deployed to the Bouches-du-Rhône region for the county's first major fire this year.

"The drought these last few days, with few days of wind, the dry plants due to winter, the violent wind stirs up the hotbeds of garrigue fires," one firefighter said.

"We are trying to support a field of olive trees to make a tactical fire. We will try to contain it here, I hope the fire will not jump."

Firefighters were able to contain the flames by Saturday afternoon.

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