Wildfire in southern France extinguished after weeklong battle

The wildfire that ignited in southern France a week ago has been successfully extinguished, as confirmed by the firefighting department.

"After several days of coordinated efforts between firefighters and the municipal civil protection reserve, the operation's commander declared the fire as extinguished," stated the Pyrenees-Orientales firefighting department on Sunday evening via X, the social platform formerly referred to as Twitter.

The wildfire, which began last Monday, rampaged across nearly 500 hectares (1,235 acres) of land in southern France. This destructive event led to the displacement of over 2,000 individuals and inflicted damage on houses.

The flames swept through several popular tourist destinations in the Mediterranean region, specifically impacting the towns of Sorede, Saint-Andre, and Argeles-sur-Mer.

Although the blaze caused substantial damage to homes and other structures, it thankfully did not result in any loss of life, according to authorities.

However, it is important to note that the risk of wildfires persists in specific areas within the country.

In response to this ongoing concern, Meteo France, the national meteorological authority, issued a high alert on Monday for seven regions situated in the southern, Mediterranean part of France. This alert spans across Monday and Tuesday, urging vigilance and preparedness in the face of potential fire hazards.