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The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
Wildfire contained in southern France as heatwave threatens reignition
FONTJONCOUSE: Firefighters have contained a massive wildfire in southern France but local officials warned on Sunday that scorching heat and dry conditions could reignite the blaze, as parts of the Mediterranean region face a heatwave. The fire has ravaged a vast area of France's southern Aude department at the peak of the summer tourist season, killing one person and injuring several others. Authorities said that hot, dry winds on Sunday -- similar to those on the day the blaze began -- and a heatwave would make the work of firefighters more difficult. 'It's a challenging day, given that we are likely to be on red alert for heatwave from 4:00 pm, which will not make things any easier,' said Christian Pouget, prefect of the Aude department. The fire is no longer spreading but is still burning within a 16,000-hectare area, said Christophe Magny on Saturday, chief of the region's firefighter unit, adding it would not be under control until Sunday evening. But the blaze will 'not be extinguished for several weeks,' he said. Some 1,300 firefighters were mobilised to prevent the blaze from reigniting amid fears that the tramontane wind, which officials said picked up overnight Saturday to Sunday, could fan lingering hot spots. Temperatures this weekend are expected to hit 40 degrees Celsius in some areas, and Monday is forecast to be the 'hottest day nationwide,' according to national weather service Meteo France. In Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, a 65-year-old woman was found dead on Wednesday in her home, which was devastated by flames. Authorities said one resident suffered serious burns and four others were lightly injured, while 19 firefighters were hurt, including one with a head injury. 'Extremely angry' Experts say European countries are becoming ever more vulnerable to such disasters due to intensifying summer heatwaves linked to global warming. The blaze -- the largest in at least 50 years -- tore through 16,000 hectares of vegetation, disaster officials said. For livestock farmers in Fontjoncouse, the fire has ravaged grazing land and wiped out much of their flocks, fuelling outrage among those who said they did not have time to evacuate their herds. Emmanuelle Bernier said she was 'extremely angry' when she returned to a devastating scene, finding the pen that had housed her herd of goats in ruins, with 17 animals -- some close to giving birth -- lost in the fire. 'I will definitely change jobs. This will change my whole life,' she said. Bernier's property now holds only a few geese and two sick goats after she had to temporarily entrust her surviving sheep to a local winegrower, as the damage to the farm was so extensive that they could no longer stay. 'Everything here was built around the sheep, and seeing the flock leave was incredibly difficult for me,' she said. But as she surveyed the scorched landscape, Bernier voiced some hope for the future. 'There's still a little life left,' she said - AFP
The Sun
17 hours ago
- The Sun
International crew returns to Earth after 5 months on space station
WASHINGTON: An international crew of four astronauts has returned to Earth after nearly five months aboard the International Space Station. The SpaceX capsule carrying US astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan's Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov splashed down off California's coast. Their safe return concludes NASA's 10th crew rotation mission under the Commercial Crew Program. The Dragon capsule, operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX, detached from the ISS on Friday before re-entering Earth's atmosphere. NASA confirmed the capsule endured extreme heat of up to 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit during re-entry. Parachutes slowed the spacecraft from 17,500 miles per hour to just 16 miles per hour before splashdown. A recovery ship retrieved the capsule, allowing the astronauts to breathe Earth's air for the first time in months. The crew will now travel to Houston to reunite with their families. During their mission, they conducted experiments on plant growth, cell reactions to gravity, and microgravity's effects on human eyes. NASA acting administrator Sean Duffy praised the mission as a step toward long-duration space exploration. Anne McClain described her farewell to the ISS as bittersweet, acknowledging the global collaboration behind space missions. NASA recently announced workforce cuts affecting 3,900 employees under federal budget reductions. The agency continues prioritising crewed missions to the Moon and Mars. The Crew-10 mission also facilitated the return of two astronauts unexpectedly stranded on the ISS for nine months. Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, initially meant for an eight-day test flight, encountered propulsion issues, delaying their return. NASA confirmed astronaut Butch Wilmore's retirement after 25 years of service. A new crew, including US, Japanese, and Russian astronauts, recently began a six-month mission aboard the ISS. - AFP
The Sun
18 hours ago
- The Sun
Overcrowded French prison struggles in unbearable heatwave
SEYSSES: Inmates at a prison in southwestern France are struggling to cope as a heatwave grips the region. Fans hummed in every corner, and sheets hung from windows at an overcrowded prison near Toulouse. Temperatures pushed past 36 degrees Celsius, an AFP journalist observed on Thursday. Southern France is in the grip of a heatwave, making conditions 'unbearable' for inmates at Seysses detention centre. The prison held more than twice its capacity in June, exacerbating the heat crisis. 'Having two people per cell has become the exception,' said one guard, who requested anonymity. Detention centres across France are over capacity, with facilities ill-equipped for frequent heatwaves. Heat increases security risks, with fights becoming 'more frequent' as temperatures rise, the guard noted. 'The slightest annoyance can spark a fight,' the guard added. Temperatures are expected to hit 40C this weekend, with Monday forecast as the hottest day nationwide. Inmates described their 9-square-metre cells as stifling, with walls absorbing heat and condensation forming. 'We're not asking for air conditioning, but more ventilation or larger cells,' one detainee said. Experts warn heatwaves will grow more frequent due to climate change. At Seysses, a two-hour break in a treeless asphalt courtyard offers little relief. Mist sprayers will not be installed until next summer, leaving inmates with few cooling options. Women inmates avoid the recreation yard entirely, staying in their cells due to extreme heat. Those who do venture outside mostly stay in the shade, though some exercise despite the blistering conditions. Prison staff distribute free water and provide fans to vulnerable individuals, including elderly or ill inmates. Poorly ventilated facilities like the library and gym offer little escape from the heat. 'It gets very, very hot very quickly,' a guard said of the workout room. Sleep brings little relief, with one inmate forced to sleep on a concrete floor due to overcrowding. 'Sleeping is difficult because it's concrete and quite hot,' she said. 'But we have no choice.' - AFP
