Iran Press/ Europe: The fire spread around the French villages of Cerbere and Banyuls-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean coast, with the blaze fanned by strong, swirling winds that prevented the use of Canadair planes, according to the prefecture.
The fire crews had managed to prevent the fire from engulfing the villages, with just four houses damaged and no injuries among inhabitants, the prefecture said.
Some 300 inhabitants were evacuated in Cerbere, with most able to return to their homes by Sunday evening, it added.
The blaze later spread across the border into Spain, burning over 500 hectares and prompting the evacuation of about 50 people, the Catalan fire services said.
On the French side, a second, smaller fire later broke out a few km (miles) further up the coast at Argeles-sur-Mer, initially burning about 10ha before being brought under control, the Pyrenees-Orientales prefecture said.
Spain and southern France continued to see wildfires this past winter, with low rainfall maintaining parched conditions after last summer’s severe drought.
Some districts in southern France have already introduced water restrictions and the country’s geological institute has said that low groundwater reserves could herald an even worse drought this summer.
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