‘It's an unprecedented catastrophe' – France battles its largest wildfire in almost 80 years
'It's a catastrophe of unprecedented scale,' prime minister Francois Bayrou said as he visited the village.
So far, over 15,000 hectares have burned. That is similar to the total area that burned across all of France in several of the past years, interior minister Bruno Retailleau said. He added that this was the biggest area burnt by one single fire in France since 1949.
The fire moved incredibly fast, leaving no time to prepare, said Dutch national Renate Koot, who was on holidays in the village with her partner and had to flee.
'One moment we were on the phone with our children ... thinking, 'Look, a fire!' The next, we had to jump in the car and leave, while praying for protection. We didn't take anything with us and just left,' she said. 'We're OK. Miraculously.'
'It's unbelievable. It's a catastrophe,' Spanish national Issa Medina said.
Ms Medina was with her family in Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse.
The prefecture said the fire was progressing 'very quickly' and that nearly 2,000 firefighters were trying to bring it under control. Around 2,500 households in the area were currently without electricity, it said.
Firefighter spokesman Eric Brocardi told RTL radio the fire was spreading at 5.5kmh.
Officials and experts warned the wind could change direction, further complicating efforts to fight the wildfire.
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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.
'With climate change, the risk of having wildfires is expected to increase during the summer, but also to extend into the autumn and spring, and to spread towards the south-west, the centre and the north of France,' Serge Zaka, a climate and agriculture analyst, said.
Meanwhile, Spain is experiencing a prolonged heatwave since Sunday that was expected to extend into next week, with temperatures reaching 43C in some areas.
The high temperatures have fanned several wildfires.
It's the fastest-spreading fire I've ever seen
Emergency services were still fighting to put out a blaze in the kitesurfing resort of Tarifa in southern Spain yesterday that was believed to have been started when a caravan in a campsite caught fire.
Gusts of wind of up to 50kmh and high temperatures meant that some parts of the fire that had been extinguished were reignited, Antonio Sanz, interior minister for the regional government of Andalusia, said.
'It's the fastest-spreading fire I've ever seen,' Tarifa mayor José Antonio Santos told La Sexta television channel yesterday. 'There are lots of aircraft, everyone has been evacuated.'
Just west of Gibraltar, Tarifa is a lesser-known holiday destination but popular among kitesurfers for its windy beaches and laid-back atmosphere.
Located at the southernmost tip of Europe, just west of Gibraltar, Tarifa is home to about 18,000 residents.
Homes, hotels, campsites and restaurants were cleared along a 3km stretch between La Peña and Casas de Porros.
More than 100 firefighters were working to tackle the blaze, Andalusia's firefighting agency Infoca said. Seventeen aircraft were also deployed in 'record time' to help fight the flames, authorities said.
In Portugal, wildfires have burned through more than 42,000 hectares so far this year – the largest area since 2022 and eight times more than at the same time last year.
More than half of that area was affected in the last two weeks amid high summer temperatures.
In the early hours of yesterday, firefighters managed to control a large blaze that has been raging since Saturday near Vila Real in the north, where the heatwave has brought temperatures up to 40C this week.
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Irish Examiner
9 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Temperatures rise above 40C as continent is hit by heatwave and wildfires
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The Irish Sun
12 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Spain & Canary Islands 42C RED heat warning for Irish as full list of worst-hit hol areas revealed amid health fear
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Irish Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Spain issues urgent Status Red warning as Irish tourists endure brutal 44C heat
Summer holidays are in full swing and thousands of Irish travellers are gearing up to head to Spain's sun-soaked beaches. However those visiting over the coming days are being urged to stay alert as a brutal heatwave has gripped much of the country - including some popular holiday hotspots. Spain's meteorological agency AEMET has issued dozens of weather warnings, including Status Red alerts, ahead of temperatures soaring as high as 44C. The heatwave, which began on Sunday, August 3, is expected to continue at least until Tuesday, August 12, creating dangerous conditions - particularly in inland and southern regions that Irish visitors frequently flock to. According to AEMET, a "stationary synoptic weather pattern" is sustaining a hot, dry air mass over most of Spain and the Canary Islands. Combined with intense summer sunshine, this has pushed temperatures well beyond the usual highs for this time of year. Today maximum temperatures across the peninsular interior are forecast to reach between 37C and 39C, with some areas expected to hit as high as 42C. Inland Basque Country and parts of the Mediterranean basin are also likely to experience temperatures exceeding 40C. The heat will remain blistering through Tuesday, with temperatures on the Mediterranean coast beginning to drop slightly. But in the southwest, the mercury may climb to an alarming 44C in parts of the Guadalquivir valley. There is some uncertainty due to possible widespread afternoon thunderstorms, which could influence daytime temperature peaks. Spain weather warnings (Image: AEMET) Meanwhile, minimum temperatures are forecast to stay very high overnight, rarely dipping below 22C to 25C in southern and eastern areas. Looking ahead, temperatures are signalled to start to ease from Wednesday, particularly along the Cantabrian coast. However, AEMET warns that heatwave conditions will likely persist in southern and northeastern regions due to residual heat and potential thunderstorms. Canary Islands weather warnings (Image: AEMET) Worryingly, AEMET says a new upward trend in temperatures could emerge later in the week, especially across the northern half of Spain. Given these extreme conditions, Irish holidaymakers are advised to take precautions such as staying hydrated, avoiding peak sun hours and monitoring local weather updates. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
