Firefighting aircraft deployed in southern France
The aircraft, which include both helicopters and fixed-wing waterbombers, were deployed to tackle fires in France’s Mediterranean region
Firefighting aircraft have been dispatched to combat wildfires in southern France, where over a 1,000 hectares were burned on 1 July alone.
In Canet-en-Roussillon, near the Franco-Spanish border, four helicopters were deployed to help tackle a blaze and three Canadair firefighting planes were on standby.
The mixed firefighting fleet, dispatched by agencies such as the Sécurité Civile and by local authorities, included Dash 8-Q400MRs, Canadairs, and Airbus H125s equipped with fire buckets.
Approximately 2,000 ground-based firefighters were also dispatched to the scene of the blazes.
The fires were worsened by strong winds on 2 July. The most significant wildfire was near Canet-en-Roussillon, leading to the evacuation of approximately 1,500 people, and the temporary closure of nearby Perpignan Airport.
The fire is believed to have damaged a number of warehouses and the local marina.
Other incidents in the region included a 900-hectare fire in the Aude department, and two more fires were reported on the outskirts of the city of Marseille, but were later brought under control.
According to a statement from French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, approximately 8,700 hectares had been burned in France so far this fire season, including 1,200 on 1 July alone.
Coulson Aviation Canada recently began a 101-day contract to support BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) during the 2026 wildfire season.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at AirMed&Rescue. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.