Bouches-du-Rhône: “Very severe” risk of fires this Sunday

In addition to this department, several prefectures have announced the closure of numerous forest areas for the weekend, as has been the case regularly since mid-July.

A mountain range near Pennes-Mirabeau, in July 2025. (Lilian Auffret /Hans Lucas / AFP)

The Bouches-du-Rhône region is once again on red alert for forest fires this Sunday, August 3, with a "very high" risk of fires starting due to stronger winds, according to Météo France. Seven other departments in the south-east are at "high" risk. As a result, 16 of the 25 mountain ranges, including the Alpilles, the Calanques, and Cap Canaille, are now closed to access by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur prefecture, which is describing a "very severe" fire risk.

In addition to Bouches-du-Rhône, several prefectures have announced the closure of numerous forest areas for the weekend, as has been the case regularly since mid-July.

In the second half of the month, the mistral and tramontane winds, coupled with heat and drought, have encouraged the outbreak of significant fires , particularly in the Aude and Bouches-du-Rhône. Halfway through the summer season, Civil Security has already recorded more than 15,000 hectares burned across the entire national territory, with 9,000 fires starting since the beginning of the year, mainly on the Mediterranean coast.

Fires in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur