Some 600 firefighters assisted by several aircraft were battling a wildfire burning in the French departments of Lozère and Aveyron, on Tuesday, August 9.
The fire, which broke out in Lozère on Monday afternoon and quickly reached neighbouring Aveyron, had so far scorched a total of at least 700 hectares and prompted the evacuation of 3,000 people from two villages and a number of campsites in Aveyron, according to media reports.
There were no reports of injuries in connection with the fire, which media reports said started when an agricultural machine caused sparks which ignited a nearby field.
According to media reports, the fire had stopped progressing on Tuesday morning and firefighters had been igniting so-called controlled or prescribed burns to halt the advance of the flames.
The fire is the latest in a series of blazes that have ravaged the country over the summer as parts of France are gripped by high temperatures.
According to French media, a total of 47,000 hectares have been scorched by wildfires since the start of the year.
