‘The battle isn't over' as worst wildfire to hit France in 75 years continues to burn
Plumes of smoke rose over the forest area in the Aude region, and drone footage showed swathes of charred earth after the fire swept across an area one-and-a-half times the size of Paris.
'We don't have water, internet and electricity anymore. We have nothing. It's the apocalypse,' said resident and farmer Alain Reneau, who lives in Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, a village hit hard by the fire.
This is a wildfire that is a consequence of climate change
'We saved the house, but we had to fight the whole night, for two days.'
The blaze, not far from the Mediterranean Sea and the border with Spain, has spread rapidly through very dry vegetation following months of drought in the area, and strong winds have fanned the flames.
It was now advancing more slowly, environment minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said.
'The night was cooler, the fire is progressing more slowly, but it remains the most significant wildfire France has experienced since 1949,' Ms Pannier-Runacher told France Info radio.
'This is a wildfire that is a consequence of climate change,' she said.
The local prefect, Christian Pouget, told reporters that around 2,000 firefighters were on the ground to fight against flare-ups.
'The battle isn't over yet – the fire could reignite with greater force,' Mr Pouget said. 'We have a fire that is not yet contained, but it is no longer advancing along its edges.'
Officials said 13 people have been injured in the fire. Two people, including a firefighter, are in a critical condition.
An investigation is under way to find out what caused the blaze.
'Never in my life [have I seen] fires like this,' 77-year-old retiree Simon Gomez said in Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse.
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 today. It is due to last several days.
'We're at war, but also we will win the war,' said Xavier Guille, a local vineyard owner who was helping firefighters battle the blaze.
Mr Guille lost woodland to the fire, but his vineyard was unharmed.
'My in-laws lost their home in Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse. It was one of the first homes that burned,' he said.
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