What is the name and location of the wildfire?
As of Aug 8, 2025, the Aude Wildfire, France’s largest since 1949, erupted on August 5, 2025, near the village of in the Aude region, a rural, wooded area near the Spanish border known for its wineries.
Fueled by drought, strong winds, and dry vegetation, the blaze has scorched over 15,000 hectares, surpassing the size of Paris (1). However, on August 8 the fire was controlled (2).
For a more detailed look see Aude, France air quality map.
Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfire?
The wildfire has directly impacted the following areas:
- Coustouge
- Fabrezan
- Jonquieres
- Lagrasse
- Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse
- Tournissan
At least 25 homes and dozens of vehicles have been destroyed, with Jonquieres reporting 80% of the village burnt. Smoke has reached coastal towns like Port-la-Nouvelle, 30 km away, causing suffocating air quality (3).
What is the current containment status of the wildfire?
The Aude Wildfire has been contained; over 2,100 firefighters, 90 water-bombing aircraft, and 40 helicopters were deployed to manage the fire (4).
Strong winds of 40 km/h, low humidity, and temperatures around 35°C hindered containment efforts (5).
Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?
Evacuation orders are active across affected villages, with residents of Jonquieres fully evacuated and others urged to stay indoors with windows closed unless ordered to leave.
Two campsites and parts of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse have been evacuated, with 17 temporary accommodation sites opened. The A9 motorway was briefly closed but reopened on August 6, 2024 (6).
Protect yourself from wildfire smoke
See how a wildfire smoke air purifier can help clean your air.
How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?
Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.
- Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
- Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
- Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke.
- Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
- Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
