"Wild Fires Spread In Southern France, Four Firemen Injured"

"Several wild fires broke out in various parts of southern France on Wednesday, causing a major firefighting operation in which four firemen were injured, three of them seriously, the interior ministry said in a statement.

About 1,800 firemen battled the blazes, backed up by firefighting airplanes, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve told French newschannel BFM TV. About 400 policemen were also mobilized across the region, he said.

The fires, which have covered 2,000 hectares (nearly 5,000 acres), were still out of control late on Wednesday, Cazeneuve added. "

Jean-Francois Rosnoblet, Gerard Bon, and Mathieu Rosemain report for Reuters August 10, 2016.

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