French Riviera fires under control

PARIS, July 31 (UPI) -- Forest fires racing through the south of France have been brought under control, the BBC reported Wednesday.

A fire that has destroyed woodland near the town of La Motte for the past two days is still burning but is advancing only slowly, firefighters said.

Another that started Wednesday near Salon-de-Provence was brought under control overnight.

Dry weather and soaring temperatures have led to hundreds of fires throughout Europe, and French firefighters warn that the lull in the south-east could be short-lived.

Near La Motte, helicopters dropped thousands of gallons of water on the fire as around 700 firefighters worked on the ground overnight.

To the west, near Salon-de Provence, 400 firefighters and four planes battled a forest fire officials say has now been "circumscribed."

Firefighters from Italy and Russia have been helping their French colleagues while Greece and Norway have offered to send firefighting aircraft.