France's largest wildfire this summer leaves one dead and many injured

The Guardian

4 days ago

Hundreds of firefighters are battling to stop the spread of a fast-moving wildfire in southern France, after one woman died and nine people were injured as the blaze scorched a vast area of the Corbières hills.
The fire, which started on Tuesday afternoon, has burned 13,000 hectares inland from the Mediterranean near the Spanish border, and is the largest and fastest-spreading wildfire in France this summer.
It began in the village of Ribaute in the Aude department, spreading across the rural, wooded area of the Corbières, famous for its vineyards and medieval villages.
A woman died in her home and one person was in a critical condition with severe burns, according to the Aude prefecture. Several firefighters were also injured. At least 25 homes were destroyed or damaged.
This is 'a disaster of unprecedented scale', the firefighter spokesperson Eric Brocardi told RTL radio, saying the fire was spreading at 3.4mph (5.5km/h).
The wildfire remained 'very active'' on Wednesday, local authorities said.
Remi Recio, an official in the southern city of Narbonne said: 'The fire is still spreading and is far from being contained or under control.'
Lucie Roesch, the secretary general of the Aude prefecture, said: 'The fire is advancing in an area where all the conditions are ripe for it to progress. We are monitoring the edges and the back of the fire to prevent flare-ups.'
Planes were dropping water on the flames but Roesch said: 'This fire will keep us busy for several days. It's a long-term operation.'
Weather conditions were expected to remain unfavourable due to strong winds, rising temperatures and dry vegetation in the area, officials said.
Camping grounds and at least one village were partially evacuated, and several roads were closed. Residents and tourists were asked to remain in their homes unless told to evacuate by firefighters. Some tourists who were evacuated from campsites spent the night in municipal buildings.
One local resident told France 2 TV: 'I wanted to go back to my house to get my things but I couldn't go in. We're waiting to see what the damage was. When I left, there were flames at the foot of the house.'
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, wrote on social media: 'All of the nation's resources are mobilised.' He called on people to exercise 'the utmost caution'.
The prime minister, François Bayrou, was expected to travel to the area on Wednesday afternoon.
The Aude department, in particular, has experienced an increase in wildfires in recent years, aggravated by low rainfall and the removal of vineyards, which used to help slow their advance.
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Aude Damesin, who lives in the town of Fabrezan, told Agence France-Presse that the frequency of wildfires was taking a toll on local residents.
'I find it tragic to see so many fires since the beginning of the summer,' she said. 'It's terrible for the wildlife, the flora and for the people who are losing everything.'
Last month, a wildfire that reached the southern port city of Marseille, France's second-largest city, left about 300 people injured.
Southern Europe has experienced large fires this summer. Fires have burned more than 25,700 hectares of Portugal since the beginning of 2025, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), while there have also been wildfires in central Spain, Turkey, Greece and elsewhere in the Balkans.
Scientists say climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, making the region more vulnerable to wildfires.
Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing at twice the speed of the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Scientists say the Mediterranean region's hotter, drier summers put it at high risk of wildfires. Once fires start, plentiful dry vegetation and strong winds in the region can cause them to spread rapidly and burn out of control.
Agence France-Presse contributed to this report