Wildfire in Gros Bessillon, Var, spreads to around 2,500 hectares

Pontevès – July 22, 2026: According to an announcement by the prefecture, the forest and vegetation fire in Gros Bessillon in the Var department had burned around 2,500 hectares by Wednesday morning. The fire remains active in an area stretching between Pontevès, Cotignac, Correns and Montfort-sur-Argens. The command center continues extensive operations on the ground and from the air to prevent the fire from spreading.

About 1,000 firefighters from the Var department and across France are taking part in the firefighting efforts. Around 350 vehicles have been deployed. In addition, the national gendarmerie is securing the operational area, assisting with evacuations and managing access routes. The large number of personnel is intended in particular to protect residential areas at risk and ensure freedom of movement for emergency responders.

Several hundred residents had to leave their homes as a precaution. Authorities are adapting their response according to changes in wind, heat and smoke conditions. Local residents are being asked not to use closed roads and forest tracks. Even people who are not directly affected by official instructions should avoid obstructing emergency vehicles and pay attention to information from the prefecture.

The fire broke out near Pontevès on Tuesday the 21st and then spread rapidly through dry vegetation. The currently reported burned area is an estimate and may change as conditions on the ground are further assessed. The focus in the coming hours will be on whether response teams can permanently secure the perimeter of the fire area and prevent flare-ups.

The Var prefecture announced additional restrictions for forest areas and their surroundings due to the strain caused by several fires occurring at the same time. On Thursday, July 23, 2026, stricter access and use rules are expected to apply in areas at particularly high risk. The aim is to reduce the risk of new fires and protect the work of response teams.

In addition to the fire in Gros Bessillon, authorities were also monitoring a fire between Taradeau and Les Arcs-sur-Argens. According to authorities, around 200 hectares of forest were affected there. The simultaneous operations are increasing pressure on the department’s fire service, national gendarmerie and municipal crisis management centers, where the threat of vegetation fires is particularly high during the summer.

In the fire at Gros Bessillon, protecting lives, homes and transport routes remains the top priority. As of Wednesday noon, the final assessment of damage, the exact cause of the fire and its duration were still unknown. The prefecture plans to publish additional situation reports as soon as new reliable information becomes available from the scene.