Wildfire near Cotignac flares up again: Mistral worsens situation in the Var

Cotignac – 23 July 2026: The wildfire in the Gros Bessillon massif in the Var department flared up again on Thursday, worsening the dangerous situation around Cotignac. According to Prefect Simon Babre, the renewed spread began in the afternoon. The flames moved toward the town, and emergency services continued to assess the threat to Cotignac as significant in the evening.

The Mistral, with wind speeds of around 40 kilometres per hour, fuelled the spread. Exceptionally dry air compounded the situation: according to the prefecture, humidity levels had fallen to just 10 to 15 percent. Under these conditions, remaining embers can quickly reignite and create new fire fronts, including in areas that had previously appeared secure.

The fire began near Ponteves on Tuesday, 21 July, and quickly spread through the wooded Bessillon massif. On Wednesday morning, the prefecture put the area burned up to that point at around 2,500 hectares. Due to the renewed flare-ups, an even larger affected area was reported on Thursday evening. A final assessment was not initially available.

Precautionary evacuations had been ordered for several nearby municipalities, including Ponteves, Cotignac, Correns and Montfort-sur-Argens. According to the latest official situation report, around 500 people had spent the night in municipal reception centres or with relatives. In Cotignac, residents were temporarily instructed to remain in their homes in order to keep emergency routes clear and protect themselves from smoke and possible flying embers.

Firefighting operations continue with major resources deployed. By Wednesday, according to the prefecture, around 1,100 firefighters, 350 vehicles and reinforcements from several departments were already on site. The Gendarmerie is also supporting evacuations, monitoring closed roads and securing access routes for emergency personnel. Several departmental roads in the affected area remain closed to traffic.

In Cotignac, the Notre-Dame-de-Graces sanctuary and the Saint-Joseph du Bessillon monastery were saved from the flames, according to authorities. At the same time, numerous homes were damaged; the exact number is still being assessed. On Wednesday morning, 340 households in the municipality were still without power. Enedis teams were working to secure power lines and gradually restore service.

Because of the extreme fire risk, the prefecture banned events in and on the edges of forest areas throughout the Var on Thursday. Barbecues, fire pits and other equipment involving open flames or embers were also prohibited. Authorities are urging people not to visit the operational area, to strictly observe road closures and to give emergency vehicles priority on all access roads.