Deadly wildfire rages for third day in France
A firefighter carries a fire hose during a wildfire near Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, southern France. Photo: Reuters
Firefighters battled for a third day on Thursday to contain France's biggest wildfire in nearly eight decades, which has burnt over 16,000 hectares, killed one person and destroyed dozens of houses.
TV images showed plumes of smoke rising over the forest area in the region of Aude in southern France.
Drone footage showed large swatches of charred vegetation.
French officials said one person has died, three are missing and two people including a firefighter are in critical condition.
"As of now, the fire has not been brought under control," Christophe Magny, one of the officials leading the firefighting operation, told BFM TV.
He hoped the blaze could be contained later in the day.
The blaze, around 100 kilometres from the border with Spain, not far from the Mediterranean Sea, began on Tuesday and has spread rapidly.
It has already swept through an area one-and-a-half times bigger than Paris.
Officials have said it is France's biggest wildfire since 1949.
Scientists say the Mediterranean region's hotter, drier summers put it at high risk of wildfires.
France's weather office has warned of a new heatwave starting in other parts of southern France on Friday and due to last several days. (Reuters)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTHK
2 days ago
- RTHK
'Mature' mechanism in place for severe weather: CS
'Mature' mechanism in place for severe weather: CS Chief Secretary Eric Chan says no one could have predicted Tuesday's heavy rain would last so long. File photo: Reuters Hong Kong has a "mature" mechanism that will be activated automatically to respond to inclement weather despite challenges in predicting rainfall, Chief Secretary Eric Chan said on Saturday. Torrential rain pounded the city in recent weeks, prompting the Hong Kong Observatory to issue four black rainstorm warnings within a space of eight days. The fourth signal, issued on Tuesday, was up for more than 11 hours. "I can honestly say that no one could have predicted the downpours would last this long, nor could anyone have predicted the rain's intensity," Chan told a Commercial Radio programme. Chan also defended the government's decision not to hold a meeting of an inter-departmental committee that he chaired – which last convened to make preparations in response to Tropical Cyclone Danas in July. The Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre, he said, will be up and running whenever a black rainstorm alert or a No 8 typhoon signal is in force. "While we might not be able to predict rainfall sometimes, we have a response mechanism that can be up and running immediately," Chan said. "This time proved that the existing mechanism was operating smoothly. "I hope residents understand that not holding a meeting of the steering committee does not mean there was less protection." The steering committee on handling extreme weather will meet and make advanced preparations when extreme weather conditions are expected to have a widespread and severe impact on the city, Chan added.
RTHK
2 days ago
- RTHK
Thousands evacuated as new wildfire hits LA
Thousands evacuated as new wildfire hits LA A tanker drops retardant on the hillsides of a wildfire raging in New Cuyama in California. File photo: Reuters Authorities on Friday said a brush fire in a mountainous area north of Los Angeles triggered evacuations in two counties, scorching nearly 2,000 hectares. At least 10 zones in Los Angeles and Ventura counties were under evacuation orders, with 2,700 residents displaced as of 11 pm local time on Thursday, Ventura County Fire Department spokesperson Andrew Dowd said. According to Dowd at least 400 personnel have been deployed to contain the fire. The blaze erupted as firefighters battled a separate wildfire – California's largest of the year so far – which raged for an eighth straight day and engulfed more than 40,000 hectares in the Los Padres National Forest, threatening hundreds of homes. The latest fire has so far burned almost 2,000 hectares and remains zero percent contained, Dowd said. LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the area, urged residents to heed evacuation guidelines. "The #CanyonFire is spreading fast under extreme heat & dry conditions near Ventura-LA County line," she wrote on X. "If you're in Santa Clarita, Hasley Canyon, or Val Verde, take evacuation orders seriously – when first responders say GO, leave immediately." The fires follow a July blaze that scorched around 28,000 hectares and needed hundreds of firefighters to contain it. Fire authorities at the time noted that dry brush, sustained winds and high temperatures were fuelling the flames. That came after several earlier fires, stoking fears of a difficult season in a state still reeling from wildfires that killed 30 people in January. (Reuters)
RTHK
2 days ago
- RTHK
Thousands evacuated as new wildfire hits LA
Thousands evacuated as new wildfire hits LA A tanker drops retardant on the hillsides of a wildfire raging in New Cuyama in California. File photo: Reuters Authorities on Friday said a brush fire in a mountainous area north of Los Angeles triggered evacuations in two counties, scorching nearly 2,000 hectares. At least 10 zones in Los Angeles and Ventura counties were under evacuation orders, with 2,700 residents displaced as of 11 pm local time on Thursday, Ventura County Fire Department spokesperson Andrew Dowd said. According to Dowd at least 400 personnel have been deployed to contain the fire. The blaze erupted as firefighters battled a separate wildfire – California's largest of the year so far – which raged for an eighth straight day and engulfed more than 40,000 hectares in the Los Padres National Forest, threatening hundreds of homes. The latest fire has so far burned almost 2,000 hectares and remains zero percent contained, Dowd said. LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the area, urged residents to heed evacuation guidelines. "The #CanyonFire is spreading fast under extreme heat & dry conditions near Ventura-LA County line," she wrote on X. "If you're in Santa Clarita, Hasley Canyon, or Val Verde, take evacuation orders seriously – when first responders say GO, leave immediately." The fires follow a July blaze that scorched around 28,000 hectares and needed hundreds of firefighters to contain it. Fire authorities at the time noted that dry brush, sustained winds and high temperatures were fuelling the flames. That came after several earlier fires, stoking fears of a difficult season in a state still reeling from wildfires that killed 30 people in January. (Reuters)
