Overview

• Authorities declared the blaze fixed Thursday evening after it scorched 17,000 hectares, though full extinguishment may take several more days under continuous monitoring.
• More than 1,000 firefighters supported by aerial units remain deployed to secure containment lines and prevent flare-ups along the Corbières massif.
• Météo-France issued a vigilance orange for extreme heat starting Saturday, raising fears that rising temperatures and returning winds could rekindle smoldering areas.
• Access to forest massifs and affected roads stays prohibited, but nearly 2,000 evacuated residents were allowed to return to their villages Friday night.
• Judicial investigators are probing the fire’s origin after early findings placed its start last week along a roadside near Ribaute.