Several wildfires remain active in the Ariège region of southern France on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, in the areas of Mijanès, Auzat and Seix. Despite rain that fell on Monday, firefighters are still struggling against fires that are hard to reach because of their mountain locations and because flames have burrowed deep into the soil.
In Mijanès, a fire broke out on Tuesday morning near the Rabassoles pond. The Ariège fire service said ten water drops were carried out by the zone's heavy tanker helicopter, which the SDIS 09 fire brigade had requested that morning as an initial response. Personnel were then sent on foot to the site, reachable after about a 45-minute walk. The SDIS said crews were digging out and dousing hot spots to bring the fire under control.
Two active points at Auzat
In Auzat, a fire that started on Saturday in an inaccessible mountainous area is still burning. Firefighters said that after a reconnaissance flight, the fire remained active at two points within its perimeter, covering an estimated 10 hectares and continuing to spread slowly, though without threatening people or property.
No new SDIS operation was launched at the site on Tuesday. Four water drops had been made on Saturday. A fresh reconnaissance flight using a drone is planned for late Wednesday morning. Part of the GR10 hiking trail has also been closed by the Auzat town hall.
About 30 water drops at Seix
In Seix, where a fire has also been burning since Saturday, firefighters carried out a tactical ground fire operation. The SDIS 09 said the heavy tanker helicopter arrived at the site on Tuesday afternoon, after its work in Mijanès, and made around 30 water drops. The burned area is now estimated at 68 hectares. Firefighters said operations would resume early on Wednesday morning.
More broadly, the risk of new vegetation fires starting in Ariège remains light to moderate. However, officials said current weather conditions are not helping firefighters tackle the blazes that are already established, particularly because of fires burning underground. They said Monday's rain unfortunately did not provide major help in extinguishing these fires.
