Paris, August 03 (QNA) - The wildfire raging in the Var department in southeastern France has been held in check, as firefighters continue battling the blaze to secure the area, the authorities said Monday.

This comes amid tough weather conditions expected to increase the risk of the fires flaring up again, as the blazes are designated as among the worst wildfire seasons in France's history, with the fires scorching over 5,600 hectares in the Var department alone in recent weeks.

Local authorities said the wildfire that broke out last Friday south of the Gros Bessillon massif has so far scorched around 1,800 hectares, adding that firefighters continue battling the blaze by treating the affected area's perimeter and extinguishing hotspots, backed by nearly 1,500 firefighters and 450 vehicles.

They added that residents who were evacuated from some villages during the weekend had returned to their homes after the fire imperiled multiple residential areas.

Military bulldozers are carving out new access routes to improve firefighters' ability to reach vulnerable areas and deploy equipment, authorities noted, adding that the move comes in anticipation of stronger winds, soaring temperatures and falling humidity levels during the afternoon.

An official tally showed that the Gros Bessillon wildfire has damaged around 70 homes since it broke out on July 21, with 41 homes reduced to rubble.

This is the fourth large-scale blaze faced by firefighters since July 19, with authorities estimating that the wildfires have gobbled up roughly 7,450 hectares in the area since the beginning of July.

Meanwhile, Meteo-France placed seven departments in southwestern France under an orange thunderstorm alert and kept heatwave warnings in place for 20 departments across eastern and southeastern France, including the area affected by the blaze. (QNA)