As the heat wave in southern Europe continued last week, 5,000 holidaymakers were evacuated from camp sites on the French Riviera as forest fires ravaged 1,600 acres of woodland around Puget-sur-Argens, northwest of St-Raphaël.

As 400 firefighters, 64 fire engines and 11 aircraft tackled the blaze, local deputy Michel Henry confirmed that three fires had combined to cause the inferno, and that arson was suspected in each case.

Tinder-dry conditions and strong mistral winds thwarted efforts to contain the fire, and power to 45,000 homes was cut as a preventive measure.

By Tuesday night, the fire had been brought under control, but Colonel Eric Grohin, of the Var fire department, said the risk of further outbreaks remained.

A British tour operator insisted that camp sites in the area remain fully operational. Darren Bunn, of NSS Riviera Holidays, praised the French firefighters, despite having lost his own caravan in the blaze. “There were more than 200 Britons on site,” he said, “and it was a close call, but reports that the Côte d’Azur is devastated are ludicrous.”

Heat-wave conditions are affecting much of southern Europe. A recent fire in Cyprus came within 10yd of holiday homes. Last week, flames destroyed 500 acres of forest near Barcelona; and in Andalusia, two huge blazes destroyed 750 acre of scrubland on the Campo de Gibraltar, around the towns of San Roque and La Linea.

“Western Europe is officially suffering its worst drought for 60 years,” said the Met Office, adding that the Iberian peninsula in particular faces “a continuing period of unrelenting heat, with the risk of fire in Spain and Portugal correspondingly high”.