Authorities scramble to control wildfires

Strong winds, hot summer weather and drought conditions have combined in a devastating cocktail, with firefighters in the southeast struggling to contain wildfires that have already ravaged hundreds of acres of land.

More than 470 officers were involved in bringing a forest fire under control before it could damage homes in Castagniers, about 15km north of Nice, on Monday. The blaze has devastated 100 hectares of land.

Meanwhile, a fire near Bonifacio, Corsica, destroyed about 200 hectares of scrubland on Monday, before the wind relented enough to allow firefighters to halt the flames in their tracks. Officers have remained on site overnight to ensure fires do not reignite.

Meanwhile, officers are still damping down a wildfire that devoured 800 hectares of land near Saint-Cannat, not far from Aix-en-Provence on Saturday. While the fire is under control, there were a number of new outbreaks on Sunday.

Investigators have said they suspect a discarded cigarette caused the blaze, which started near the A6 motorway and warned that anyone found guilty of causing a wildfire, even involuntarily, could face up to three years in prison and €45,000 in fines.

Four popular areas for walkers remain closed to the public on Tuesday, authorities have revealed.