In the southern French province of Aude, near the border with Spain, a large-scale forest wildfire broke out on Tuesday night, with over 2,000 firefighters mobilized to extinguish the flames. The fire has resulted in 1 death, 1 missing person, and 13 injuries, including 11 firefighters, one of whom is in serious condition.
Authorities in Aude province reported that the wildfire started around 9 p.m. on Tuesday in the Corbières hills near the town of Ribaute. Strong winds fueled the rapid spread of the fire, and by Wednesday night, the area affected had reached 16,000 hectares, larger than Paris.
In a statement, officials in Aude province mentioned that at least 25 houses and dozens of cars were destroyed by the fire. Over 2,500 households experienced power outages, and several roads were closed. For safety reasons, around 1,500 residents and tourists from several campsites and at least one village have been evacuated. The province is currently under the highest level of fire risk alert.
As of Wednesday night, about 2,100 firefighters, supported by 90 water bombers and 40 helicopters, were still battling the blaze. However, the local fire department warned that the high temperatures and strong winds expected on Thursday would hinder firefighting efforts, with the fire still out of control.
French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, who visited the scene on Wednesday afternoon, described it as an unprecedented disaster and the largest fire in mainland France since 1949. The government has mobilized military and police forces to respond.
President Macron took to social media to announce the mobilization of all national resources to combat the spreading fire.
Since the beginning of summer this year, many parts of southern France have experienced high temperatures and dry conditions, leading the meteorological department to issue multiple forest fire alerts.