Latest news with #FrenchFireBrigade
DW
4 days ago
- Climate
- DW
Deadly 'unprecedented' wildfire rages in southwestern France – DW – 08/06/2025
An intense wildfire is burning in southern France, near the border to Spain. Prime Minister Francois Bayrou has called it a "catastrophe of unprecedented scale." French firefighters were still battling on Wednesday a wildfire in the Corbieres hills in southwestern France, inland from the Mediterranean coast, which has killed one person. The fire in the southern Aude region has already swept through an area larger than the size of Paris, with authorities describing it as the biggest in nearly 80 years. The fire started in the town of Ribaute and has since spread over 15,000 hectares, the affected Aude department said. "It's a catastrophe of unprecedented scale," Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said as he visited Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, adding that this was the biggest area to be burnt in a single fire since 1949. "What is happening today is linked to global warming and linked to drought," Bayrou said. A woman in the village of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, about 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) from the city of Perpignan, died of the fire after she refused to evacuate her home. Thirteen others were injured, including two seriously. Of those injured, nine are firefighters. Some 2,000 firefighters were battling the blaze which damaged 25 homes in Aude. The fire was spreading very rapidly, leading to evacuations by some 1,500 residents and tourists from a resort and the closure of many roads. The blaze started on Tuesday but has since been spreading very fast. 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 department said on social media. Late Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron said on X the fire was progressing and that "all the nation's resources were mobilized." "The fire is spreading very quickly because the weather conditions are unfavorable. It's one of the driest areas in the department and the wind is strong," Lucie Roesch, secretary general of Aude prefecture, told AFP news agency on Tuesday. Firefighters were supported by water bomber planes, Aude prefecture said on X. A video posted on X Tuesday afternoon by the French Fire Brigade showed flames roaring behind a village and the sky dark with smoke.
DW
5 days ago
- Climate
- DW
Wildfire rages in southwestern France, closing highway – DW – 08/06/2025
An intense wildfire is burning in southern France, near the border to Spain, injuring two and closing parts of a major motorway. A wildfire in the Corbieres hills in southern France, inland from the Mediterranean coast, has already closed a major highway and left two people injured, one critically, local officials said. 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 said on Twitter. Camping grounds and one village were partially evacuated in Aude department, and several local roads were closed. French President Emmanuel Macron said on X the fire was progressing and that "all the nation's resources were mobilized." "The fire is spreading very quickly because the weather conditions are unfavorable. It's one of the driest areas in the department and the wind is strong," Lucie Roesch, secretary general of Aude prefecture, told AFP news agency. More than 1,250 fire fighters are at the scene, supported by water bomber planes. By late Tuesday evening, the fire had already burned some 9,200 hectares, according to France's Le Monde newspaper, citing Aude prefecture. A video posted on X Tuesday afternoon by the French Fire Brigade showed flames roaring behind a village and the sky dark with smoke.
