Wildfire in southern France kills 1 and injures several
It remained ''very active'' on Wednesday and weather conditions were unfavorable, the local administration said in a statement. One person died in their home and nine others were injured, and at least one person was missing, the statement said. It said the fire had spread for 12 hours over 11,000 hectares of land, which is roughly equivalent to the size of the French capital.
That makes it the biggest wildfire in France so far this summer. Southern Europe has seen multiple large fires this summer. Scientists warn that 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.
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Kuwait Times
17 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
One dead, nine injured in huge France wildfire
LAGRASSE, France: Hundreds of firefighters on Wednesday battled to halt the spread of a wildfire in southern France that has scorched a vast area, killed one person and injured nine others. 'The fire is still very active and the situation remains unfavorable,' said Lucie Roesch, secretary general of the Aude prefecture, citing drought conditions, rising temperatures and strong winds. The blaze, which started on Tuesday, has destroyed or damaged 25 homes in the southern Aude department, where some 2,000 firefighters are struggling to control the largest wildfire in France this summer. An elderly woman died in her home, one person is missing and two people were injured, one of whom is now in critical condition with severe burns, according to the Aude prefecture. Seven firefighters have also been injured by smoke inhalation. The blaze has burned some 12,000 hectares (27,000 acres) of land. 'The fire is advancing in an area where all the conditions are ripe for it to progress,' Roesch said. Planes were dropping water on the flames but Roesch warned 'this fire will keep us busy for several days. It's a long-term operation'. Camping grounds and at least one village were partially evacuated, and several roads have been closed. 'I left everything behind me,' said David Cerdan, a 51-year-old who fled Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, where a woman in her 60s died after she refused to leave her home. 'I'm putting it into perspective. I only have material damage,' said Cerdan, who lived near the victim. Prime Minister Francois Bayrou and Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau were to visit the Aude on Wednesday. The wildfire is the biggest in France so far in a summer which has already seen some 9,000 fires, mainly along its Mediterranean coast, according to the emergency management service. 'All of the nation's resources are mobilized,' President Emmanuel Macron said on X, while calling on people to exercise 'the utmost caution'. The Aude department in particular has seen an increase in areas burnt in recent years, aggravated by low rainfall and the removal of vineyards, which used to help slow down the advance of fires. The frequency of wildfires is taking a toll on local residents, said Aude Damesin, who lives in the town of Fabrezan. '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,' she added. Meanwhile, firefighters battled a wildfire Wednesday near the southern Spanish tourist town of Tarifa, where more than 1,500 people had to be evacuated as shifting winds hampered efforts to control the blaze. Although fire crews managed to secure areas near hotels and tourist accommodation, the fire remained active and uncontained, said officials. 'What concerns us most right now is the wind - whether it shifts between the west and east,' said Antonio Sanz, interior minister for Andalusia's regional government. The wildfire broke out Tuesday afternoon near La Pena, a wooded area close to a beach just outside Tarifa. The town of about 19,000 residents on Spain's southernmost coast, is known for its strong winds, which draw kite and windsurfers. – AFP
Arab Times
a day ago
- Arab Times
Second earthquake hits New York City region within several days
HILLSDALE, NJ, Aug 6, (AP): A second small earthquake rattled the New York metropolitan area on Tuesday within several days of another. The 2.7 magnitude earthquake struck a little after noon near suburban Hillsdale, New Jersey, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) northwest of the Bronx in New York City, according to the US Geological Survey. There were no initial reports of damages or injuries from the quake, which was felt in the city and Connecticut. The tremor came after a 3.0 magnitude earthquake shook the area Saturday night. That earthquake struck Hasbrouck Heights, which is about 9 miles (14 kilometers) south of Hillsdale. Though the two relatively mild quakes occurred nearby over several days, geophysicist Jessica Turner of the National Earthquake Information Center said it was 'a little hard' to label the second one an aftershock. 'While it did occur about nine miles to the north of the earthquake that occurred on August 2nd, we aren't quite sure because it's not right on top of that location,' she said. 'We aren't quite sure if this is an aftershock of that earthquake or if maybe it's just kind of like a separate earthquake that occurred.'
Arab Times
a day ago
- Arab Times
Wildfire in southern France kills 1 and injures several
PARIS. Aug 6, (AP): A fast-moving wildfire in a Mediterranean region of France near the Spanish border has left one person dead, several others injured and was still spreading Wednesday after damaging a swath of land as big as Paris overnight, authorities said. About 1,500 firefighters worked overnight to contain the blaze, which broke out Tuesday afternoon in the village of Ribaute in the Aude region. It remained ''very active'' on Wednesday and weather conditions were unfavorable, the local administration said in a statement. One person died in their home and nine others were injured, and at least one person was missing, the statement said. It said the fire had spread for 12 hours over 11,000 hectares of land, which is roughly equivalent to the size of the French capital. That makes it the biggest wildfire in France so far this summer. Southern Europe has seen multiple large fires this summer. Scientists warn that 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.
