Sun-seekers flee as flames take over the French Riviera
Dame Joan Collins was one of many forced to flee as the blaze became ferocious. Hundreds of fire-fighters have now been drafted in to try and bring what is now several fires under control.
French authorities said swathes of the Var area of Provence had been evacuated, involving the displacement of some 10,000 people - including 3,000 campers.
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Hide AdTourists were seen camped out on beaches overnight - while the glare of the morning sun was darkened by rising smoke.
Local emergency services said flames had engulfed some 9,880 acres of land in southern France, where the population swells during summer because of popular tourist resorts.
Best-selling novelist Robert Harris was also forced to leave where he was staying near Bormes-les-Mimosas and posted updates of the evacuation, which began at 2am yesterday.
He commended the “brave” pompier emergency fire services.
Four tracker planes and a firefighting aircraft had formed part of the emergency response after the intensity of the fire grew at around 11pm on Tuesday, a statement from the Var prefecture said.
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Hide AdFrench authorities were forced to turn to the European Union to request help as the fires continued.
Meanwhile UK tour operators can resume selling holidays in Tunisia for the first time since the 2015 Sousse massacre.