PARIS

Hundreds of firefighters are battling a massive fire in the southern French department of Gard that burned 600 hectares (1,500 acres).

Authorities said firefighters backed by water-dropping planes are involved in dowsing the blaze that started near the village of Bordezac, and forced evacuations from nearby Besseges and other settlements Thursday night.

Although several other fires began in southern France on Thursday, most were extinguished.

The local government office said the department was put on” maximum alert” for forest fires.

In a statement, it said the region’s fire and rescue services are “strongly mobilized on several fires still in progress.”

In order to reduce the risk of new outbreaks of fires, Gard prefect Marie-Françoise Lecaillon prohibited public access to forests until July 11.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​