On Tuesday, authorities closed sections of the A9 motorway, which connects France to Spain, between the cities of Perpignon and Narbonne in both directions, as announced by France’s fire agency on Twitter.
In the Aude department, partial evacuations were conducted at camping sites and one village, and various local roads were closed.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated on X that the fire was progressing and that “all the nation’s resources were being mobilized.”
“The fire is spreading very quickly due to unfavorable weather conditions. It is one of the driest areas in the department and the wind is strong,” stated Lucie Roesch, secretary general of Aude prefecture, to AFP news agency.
More than 1,200 firefighters have been deployed to combat the flames, with the assistance of water bomber planes, as reported by Aude prefecture on X.
By late Tuesday evening, the fire had already consumed approximately 9,200 hectares, according to France’s Le Monde newspaper, citing Aude prefecture.
A video posted on X Tuesday afternoon by the French Fire Brigade depicted flames engulfing an area behind a village, with the sky darkened by smoke.
Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru