Though De Abreu said he is less concerned about his flat which lies on the other side of the river, he "can see a number of people worried about what is to come". "The stress and trauma that you feel as someone living here is immense." About 700km away, in Cotignac in the south-east of France, Jo Barnes and her family returned to their home on Saturday, having evacuated for four days after a fire rapidly moved towards their property. "A wall of orange flames came roaring up over the hill," Barnes said. Though the surrounding hillside was blackened and charred, the town of Cotignac was undamaged and the Barnes' family home left intact.