France halts spread of "monster" wildfire, reopens highway

A view shows a wildfire burning in the Jura department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comte region, France, August 11, 2022, in this still image taken from a social media video. Colonel Cyril Fournier/via REUTERS

PARIS (Reuters) - Firefighters have managed to halt the spread of a "monster" blaze in southwest France, allowing authorities to reopen a stretch of highway to traffic ahead of a busy travel weekend.

"The fire did not advance overnight thanks to the significant means employed," the local prefect said in a tweet Saturday.