Nearly 1,000 firefighters battle blaze in southeastern France

Hundreds of firefighters, supported by water jets, have been battling a massive forest fire in southeastern France that has forced the evacuation of nearby villages.

Thirteen firefighters were injured in the village of Bordezac, where the fire broke out.

Overall, 18 firefighters have been injured in the forest fires that have been burning in the area for several days, according to France Info.

Weather – drought, heat and strong winds – has complicated efforts to contain the blaze in the Gard region, but its fire department said Friday’s outlook was “more favourable”.

Other smaller fires have been extinguished.

So far, more than 1,500 acres have been burned, the service said.

Nearby villages have been evacuated and highways have been closed as more than 900 firefighters and two planes put out the blaze.

Laurent Joseph, a senior official in the neighbouring Bouches-du-Rhone region, told BFM TV that authorities expected to deal with the fire “within a few days”.

Fires threaten the Cévennes, a mountainous region partially protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site that spans much of southeastern France.

France’s National Weather Service placed several neighbouring regions on red alert on Friday for fire risks, while its environment ministry warned citizens in the region to keep an eye out for fire risks.