Wildfire rages in southern France – 5,000 evacuated, highway closed

A wildfire in the Pyrénées-Orientales department of southern France has burned more than 1,600 hectares, prompting prefect Pierre Regnault de la Mothe to order the evacuation of approximately 5,000 people from 15 communes in the Aspres massif. A major highway in the area was closed due to the blaze. Additional fires also broke out in two other departments in the south of France.