A wildfire burning for seven days in the Drôme department has destroyed 370 hectares of forest and injured four firefighters, local officials said on Sunday, August 9. Emergency services have been battling to contain the flames in a wooded area that is difficult to access in the Claps massif.
The prefecture reported at 8:30 p.m. that significant fire spread had occurred on the front-right sector along the ridge line. Flames also spread across both the east and west slopes of the Banestier massif inside the Claps state forest.
The blaze expanded by about 50 hectares on Sunday, bringing the total area burned to 370 hectares. Strong winds have been pushing the fire north toward the village of Charens, although officials noted that the 41 residents living in the sector are not currently threatened by the flames.
Village Confinement and Fire Threat
Authorities issued a confinement order for the entire village of Charens and its surrounding hamlets due to heavy smoke emissions. Officials warned that further spread remains possible on the front-right sector, with up to 600 hectares potentially threatened.
Four firefighters received medical attention for minor injuries during the operations, including one who was taken to the hospital after falling ill. A total of 408 firefighters are deployed at the scene, supported by three Dash aircraft and one water-bombing helicopter.
Additional reinforcements are expected to arrive from the Gard department in the form of a forest fire column. Meanwhile, weather agency Météo France has placed Drôme and 21 other departments on orange alert for a heatwave on Monday.
