According to reports from Reuters and AFP, a massive wildfire broke out in the southern French region of Aude on Aug. 5, marking the largest fire the country has faced in nearly 80 years. By Aug. 7, the fire had consumed more than 17,000 hectares of land—an area approximately 1.6 times the size of Paris (10,500 hectares)—and continues to spread.
The blaze started near the forested area close to the town of Ribaute, and rapidly grew, destroying dozens of houses. In Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, one of the hardest-hit areas, a 65-year-old woman lost her life, and 13 others were injured, including 11 firefighters.
Local authorities have deployed 2,000 firefighters to control the flames. However, 3,000 homes remain at risk as the fire remains uncontained. Officials have called the disaster the largest wildfire in France since 1949.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou visited the disaster zone on Aug. 6, describing the wildfire as an "unprecedented catastrophe." He attributed the fire's intensity to global warming and prolonged drought conditions. Scientists warn that the Mediterranean region is increasingly vulnerable to wildfires due to its hot, dry summers.
According to France's emergency management agency, nearly 15,000 hectares of land across the country had already been lost to wildfires this summer before the Aude blaze. The agency reported over 9,000 separate fire incidents since June.
Meteorological services have warned of a new heatwave expected to hit southern France on Friday, which could exacerbate the wildfire threat.
Elsewhere in Europe, Spain has also faced severe heatwaves since May. On Aug. 6, authorities announced that a wildfire near the Mediterranean tourist town of Tarifa had been brought under control. However, extreme heat has already claimed at least 366 lives in Spain during the first four days of August.
(Source: Ta Kung Pao)
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