Authorities in the Bouches-du-Rhone département of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur are on high alert fearing that potentially devastating forest fires could break out. Photo: AFPBen McPartland · 4 Aug 2016, 11:28Published: 04 Aug 2016 11:28 GMT+02:00A dangerous combination of a lack of rain, the Mistral winds and grounded water planes has put Provence on maximum alert for forest fires. Story continues below…In recent weeks firefighters in the nearby Var département have been fighting fires that have destroyed hundreds of hectares of land. All the other 11 planes France normally has at its disposal are grounded until technical checks have been carried out. Some 120 firefighters from outside areas have been drafted into Provence and are ready to jump into action if fires break out.

Source: The Local August 04, 2016 09:33 UTC