The situation in the Pyrénées-Orientales is easing after the forest fire – hundreds of responders continue to secure the disaster area

Pyrénées-Orientales – 09.07.2026: In the Pyrénées-Orientales department, the situation has stabilized considerably following the large forest fire in the Aspres. On Wednesday, July 8, the prefecture spoke of a favorable development of the fire front. However, the blaze is not yet fully under control; pockets of embers persist in some places, and the operations command warns of flare-ups should the wind strengthen again.

The retreat of the fire was aided by weaker winds and slightly lower temperatures. Air resources, including firefighting planes and helicopters, supported ground operations, where several hundred firefighters created firebreaks, extinguished ember zones, and secured sensitive areas such as forest edges near homes. Armored vehicles made it possible to reach difficult-to-access areas, while brush-clearing teams secured charred trees threatening roads.

According to authorities, several thousand hectares of vegetation have burned since the fire began on Saturday night; the Interior Ministry cited an area of around 4,600 to nearly 5,000 hectares on Monday. Many residents had to evacuate as a precaution. Parts of the affected municipalities have since reopened, but some access points remain controlled. Return is subject to a safety protocol: buildings are inspected for heat damage, sparks in roof structures, and damaged electrical connections. Municipalities and humanitarian organizations are providing temporary emergency accommodation, drinking water, respiratory masks, and psychosocial support to those affected.

The prefecture is maintaining preventive measures. Open fires, fireworks, and the burning of green waste are prohibited at least until mid-July. Hiking trails in the immediate fire zone remain partially closed so as not to hinder the work of the teams. People in the surrounding area are urged to follow official instructions issued by the prefecture and municipal alert systems and, if smoke appears, to immediately call 18 or 112.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had promised additional resources; national units are supporting local services in coordination, including the central operations command and the Entente Valabre training organization. The gendarmerie and the public prosecutor’s office are examining possible causes of the fire. No confirmed conclusion is currently available; investigators are preserving evidence at several presumed points of origin and gathering witness statements.

For the coming days, operations officials emphasize that the overall situation in southern France remains tense. After a long period of drought and low vegetation moisture, the risk of flare-ups remains high until rainfall has moistened the ground and the areas surrounding the burned zones. Residents and holidaymakers are asked to dispose of cigarette butts carefully, not to use equipment that could produce sparks near wooded areas, and to keep forest access routes clear for emergency vehicles.