Major wildfire erupts in southeast France (VIDEOS, PHOTOS)

A massive wildfire erupted in France’s southeastern region of Gard overnight. As of Friday, the fire had ripped through over 600 hectares (more than 1,500 acres) of land, according to French emergency services.

Some 13 firefighters were injured in the village of Bordezac, where the fire started. All in all, more than 900 first responders backed by at least two water-dropping planes were deployed to battle the blaze, described as a “mega-fire” by emergency services. The fire is expected to be quenched completely within “several days,” according to local authorities.

“This fire is far from being done, there are fronts in hard-to-reach areas that we haven’t tackled and that are advancing freely,” Eric Agrinier, a senior member of the fire service, told the AFP, describing the firefighting effort as a “feat of endurance.”

The blaze has triggered evacuations in Bordezac, as well as in the nearby village of Besseges and other areas. Some 100 people have been placed into holiday homes and restaurants in the area, local authorities have said.

More than 35 wildfires have been registered over the past 24 hours in the neighboring Bouches-du-Rhone region. The majority of fires , some of which threatened homes and businesses, were promptly quenched overnight, the local firefighting service said.

France’s southeast has suffered from drought this year, which has greatly increased the risk of wildfires. Last month, a major blaze erupted close to the Mediterranean port city Marseille, triggered by artillery shelling at a local military training range.