French PM says countrywide wildfires largely brought under control

PARIS, France — French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the large-scale forest fires that have burned for weeks across the country are now largely under control. In an interview with the weekly Le Journal du Dimanche, Lecornu said the blazes were generally contained as of Sunday, crediting the response to sustained work by emergency crews, shifting weather conditions and continuous monitoring of the flames. The prime minister noted that the firefight had been particularly difficult in the Gironde region in southwestern France, where flames spread rapidly through forested areas. Authorities have reported that tens of thousands of hectares have burned in recent weeks, with Gironde among the hardest-hit zones. France and other parts of Europe, including Spain, have faced widespread wildfires this summer, driven by record-breaking heat waves across the continent. Officials have continued to monitor active fires, though Lecornu indicated the overall situation had stabilized. No further details on remaining containment operations or damage assessments were immediately available.