Massive Blaze Hits Southern France

Paris- Hundreds of firefighters are battling a massive forest fire Friday in the southern French department of Gard that burned 600 hectares and forced the evacuation of nearby villages.

Firefighters backed by water-dropping planes are involved in dowsing the blaze that started near the village of Bordezac, and forced evacuations from nearby Besseges and other settlements Thursday night, the local authorities said.

The local government office said the department was put on “maximum alert” for forest fires.

In a statement, it said the region’s fire and rescue services are “strongly mobilized on several fires still in progress.”

Although several other fires began in southern France on Thursday, most were extinguished.