PARIS, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Wildfires that erupted on Wednesday in many towns in southern France have destroyed 3,300 hectares of forests, local authorities said Thursday.
Fire in Rognac in the southern Department of Bouche-du-Rhone blackened 2,500 hectares of forests before being contained near Marseille, capital of the department and France's second-largest city, said the authorities.
Blazes injured three people in Rognac and four firefighters in the Herault Department, three of them in critical situation.
A total of 1,800 firefighters, 500 vehicles and seven planes had been mobilized to fight the fires.
"The situation is difficult because of the weather, with strong winds and a drought that lasted several weeks," said French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve.
