France, Oct. 22 -- With bird flu cases on the rise, France is stepping up precautions to protect its poultry and farmers.

France is raising its bird flu alert to the highest level this Wednesday, after a spike of new cases in poultry and backyard flocks, triggering tighter biosecurity rules including the confinement of birds.

A government decree published on Tuesday in the Journal officiel confirmed the risk level will move from "moderate" to "high", the top tier in the national alert system. The move means poultry must now be sheltered and protected from contact with wild birds - an early precaution compared with previous years.

Authorities said the decision was prompted by "the dynamic spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPA...