France's biggest wildfire eclipses size of Paris
About 2000 firefighters and several water bomber aircraft battled the blaze that broke out Tuesday afternoon in the village of Ribaute in the Aude region, a rural, wooded area home to wineries.
The fire, which has burned 13,000 hectares, remained ''very active" on Wednesday, the local administration said in a statement.
The weather was hot, dry and windy, making it difficult for firefighters to contain the blaze.
One person died in their home and at least 13 others were injured, including 11 firefighters, the statement said.
Jacques Piraux, mayor of the village of Jonquières, said all residents have been evacuated.
"It's a scene of sadness and desolation," he told broadcaster BFM TV after he visited on Wednesday morning.
"It looks like a lunar landscape, everything is burned. More than half or three-quarters of the village has burned down. It's hellish."
Residents and tourists in nearby areas were requested to remain in their homes unless told to evacuate. Two campsites were evacuated as a precaution.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou met on Wednesday afternoon with firefighters and residents at Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, where the fire service's command post has been set up.
The environment ministry said the Aude region has been experiencing a drought this month, with water use restrictions in place.
Lack of rainfall in recent months "played a major role in the spreading of the fire, since the vegetation is very dry," the statement said.
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.
Last month, a wildfire that reached the southern port of Marseille, France's second-largest city, left around 300 people injured.
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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France's biggest wildfire eclipses size of Paris
France's biggest wildfire this summer is spreading quickly and has already burned an area larger than Paris and claimed one life, authorities say. About 2000 firefighters and several water bomber aircraft battled the blaze that broke out Tuesday afternoon in the village of Ribaute in the Aude region, a rural, wooded area home to wineries. The fire, which has burned 13,000 hectares, remained ''very active" on Wednesday, the local administration said in a statement. The weather was hot, dry and windy, making it difficult for firefighters to contain the blaze. One person died in their home and at least 13 others were injured, including 11 firefighters, the statement said. Jacques Piraux, mayor of the village of Jonquières, said all residents have been evacuated. "It's a scene of sadness and desolation," he told broadcaster BFM TV after he visited on Wednesday morning. "It looks like a lunar landscape, everything is burned. More than half or three-quarters of the village has burned down. It's hellish." Residents and tourists in nearby areas were requested to remain in their homes unless told to evacuate. Two campsites were evacuated as a precaution. French Prime Minister François Bayrou met on Wednesday afternoon with firefighters and residents at Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, where the fire service's command post has been set up. The environment ministry said the Aude region has been experiencing a drought this month, with water use restrictions in place. Lack of rainfall in recent months "played a major role in the spreading of the fire, since the vegetation is very dry," the statement said. 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. Last month, a wildfire that reached the southern port of Marseille, France's second-largest city, left around 300 people injured. 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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a day ago
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France's biggest wildfire eclipses size of Paris
France's biggest wildfire this summer is spreading quickly and has already burned an area larger than Paris and claimed one life, authorities say. About 2000 firefighters and several water bomber aircraft battled the blaze that broke out Tuesday afternoon in the village of Ribaute in the Aude region, a rural, wooded area home to wineries. The fire, which has burned 13,000 hectares, remained ''very active" on Wednesday, the local administration said in a statement. The weather was hot, dry and windy, making it difficult for firefighters to contain the blaze. One person died in their home and at least 13 others were injured, including 11 firefighters, the statement said. Jacques Piraux, mayor of the village of Jonquières, said all residents have been evacuated. "It's a scene of sadness and desolation," he told broadcaster BFM TV after he visited on Wednesday morning. "It looks like a lunar landscape, everything is burned. More than half or three-quarters of the village has burned down. It's hellish." Residents and tourists in nearby areas were requested to remain in their homes unless told to evacuate. Two campsites were evacuated as a precaution. French Prime Minister François Bayrou met on Wednesday afternoon with firefighters and residents at Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, where the fire service's command post has been set up. The environment ministry said the Aude region has been experiencing a drought this month, with water use restrictions in place. Lack of rainfall in recent months "played a major role in the spreading of the fire, since the vegetation is very dry," the statement said. 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. Last month, a wildfire that reached the southern port of Marseille, France's second-largest city, left around 300 people injured. 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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Authorities shut parts of the A9 motorway linking France to Spain on Tuesday. The section between the cities of Perpignon and Narbonne in both directions has been affected, France's fire agency and Aude prefecture said. 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. with agencies One person is dead and nine others are injured as a result of a wildfire in the Aude region of France near the Spanish border. The Aude prefecture said in a statement the fire was progressing "very quickly" and that 1820 firefighters were trying to get it under control. Around 2500 households in the area were without electricity, it said. The prefecture said the fire started in the town of Ribaute and had spread for 12 hours over 11,000 hectares, which is roughly equivalent to the size of Paris. President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X that all of the government's resources were being mobilised to tackle the Aude fire. Authorities shut parts of the A9 motorway linking France to Spain on Tuesday. The section between the cities of Perpignon and Narbonne in both directions has been affected, France's fire agency and Aude prefecture said. 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. 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The section between the cities of Perpignon and Narbonne in both directions has been affected, France's fire agency and Aude prefecture said. 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. with agencies
