Residents forced to flee a fire that broke out near Brignoles on Wednesday evening have been cleared to return home after the blaze was brought under control, however with a new heatwave settling over the region the Var prefecture has warned that conditions remain difficult and vigilance is essential. With homes directly in its path, the authorities triggered the national FR-ALERT system and evacuated around 600 people from a string of neighbourhoods, among them Pélicon, Tombarel, Les Jausserannes, Sainte-Barbe, Les Agasses and Les Petits Ubacs. The response was substantial, with some 250 firefighters on the ground backed by Canadair and Dash water-bombers and several helicopters. The RD12 remains closed between Camps-la-Source and Les Jausserannes, with traffic diverted onto the RD43, and the prefecture has cautioned that high temperatures and strengthening afternoon winds are keeping conditions unfavourable. A second fire in a matter of daysThe Brignoles blaze is the second serious fire in the Var in a matter of days.