Wildfire burns 2,000 hectares in southern France

A wildfire that broke out on Monday in the southern French department of Aude and burned 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres) is still burning on Tuesday, according to the French media.

Meanwhile, three other departments are on red fire alert.

"It's an exceptional fire, 2,000 hectares covered, it's a very, very big fire. We have wind, a significant drought, and despite all the resources deployed—more than 1,000 firefighters, more than 7 Canadairs—the fire doesn't go out so easily," Aude Prefect Christian Pouget told the broadcaster TF1 Info on Tuesday.

Pouget also urged the residents to stay indoors.

The Aude prefect announced on X that five firefighters have been "very slightly injured" and five "civilians", including a child, have been taken into care so far.

Weather service Meteo-France has put three other departments in southern France on red alert for Tuesday, pointing to a "very high danger along the Mediterranean coast," as strong winds and high temperatures are expected.

It said that weakening winds on Wednesday would decrease the danger of fire, although it is still expected to remain high.

The fire that erupted on Monday is the third to occur in a week in Aude, as Europe faced an intense early-summer heat wave last week.