French firefighters hampered by strong winds were battling to contain a wildfire in the hills behind the coastal town of Saint-Tropez as campsites packed with holidaymakers were evacuated, writes France24.

Around 1,000 firefighters and planes carrying water were tackling the fire but it was still not under control nearly a day after it began at a highway service area, authorities said. They urged those evacuated not to try to return to their homes.

Waves of extreme heat have hit much of the Mediterranean region in recent weeks, with wildfires from Spain and Greece to Turkey raising uncomfortable questions over global warming and countries’ preparedness.

The French fire, which hit several villages in the southern Var region, spread quickly overnight into Tuesday as high winds propelled the blaze across 5,000 hectares of land, burning through some 3,500 so far.