French Wildfires Ravage 2,000 Hectares

PARIS (AP) -- France's interior minister has expressed his "profound gratitude" to the 1,200 firefighters and emergency workers battling wildfires in southern France and Corsica over the weekend.

Gerard Collomb said there been no casualties from the fires thanks to ground crews and the air teams that carried out 300 water drops in 24 hours.

Fierce flames have ravaged some 2,100 hectares (5,190 acres) of land since Thursday in southern France — with 2,000 hectares (4,940 acres) burned in Corsica alone.

Collomb says that while the mainland fires had been tamed, the Corsica blazes were ongoing and still require "major means."

On Sunday, firefighters continued to fight wildfires in the Corsican towns of Manso and the hilly Pietracorbara.

Northern Corsica Prefect Gerard Gavory says over 1,000 thousand residents and tourists have been evacuated.

(KA)