With a second death confirmed, hundreds of firefighters struggled for a third day on Wednesday to contain France's worst wildfire of the summer near the Riviera resort of Saint-Tropez. Thousands have been forced to flee.
The southern region's senior police official, Evence Richard, said two people had been found dead, including one whose charred body was discovered in the village of Grimaud.
Investigators were seeking to identify the latest victim.
There were fears the body could be that of a young woman staying in a holiday home in the village who was reported missing on Monday.
The other victim was a man, authorities said.
Twenty-four people have been injured in the blaze, including five firefighters, Richard said.
🗣 Incendie dans le Var : "On est toujours face à un incendie qui reste extrêmement actif, extrêmement difficile à maîtriser compte tenu des situations météorologiques", selon Evence Richard, le préfet du Var.
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As for the thousands evacuated from holiday homes and camping sites, Richard said "we will re-evaluate the situation at the end of the afternoon ... for now a return is not on the agenda.
Around 1,200 firefighters are involved in the effort to stem the blaze. They are supported by water-bombing planes and helicopters.
Thousands evacuated
High temperatures and strong winds forced local authorities to evacuate around 7,000 people from homes and campsites, the Var police headquarters said.
Among them were 1,300 people staying at a campsite in the village of Bormes-les-Mimosas down the coast from Saint-Tropez.
Others fled the village of La Garde-Freinet, but there had been no new evacuations overnight, the fire service said.
