France’s biggest wildfire of the summer has eclipsed the size of Paris and is still spreading

Now, the fire is bigger than Paris. More than 16,000 hectares burned. One woman has been killed and three other people are missing and over 2,000 firefighters are battling the fire in the south of France that’s been declared by France’s prime minister as a disaster on an unprecedented scale. The fire still progressing, although experts say burning with rather less intensity than before. In addition to the 2,000 firefighters and command teams, we also have specialized resources. But the weather is also part of the picture. We’re forecasting 32° with an easterly wind of 40 km per hour in the afternoon. So, we remain cautious. We’re making a strategy based on aerial reconnaissance and weather data which will allow us to decide what specialized resources we need like creating trails to reach the edges of the fire and stop it from spreading. Well, let’s talk live then to France 34’s Caris Garland who’s at the fire for us. Caris, first of all, just bring us up to date with the latest that you’re hearing there. Well, firefighters still have their work cut out for them, Stuart, since we’ve been here in Salon Deis. Uh we’ve been hearing water bombing aircraft going past, dropping water on these flames and also fire trucks passing through uh this town where we are. We’re actually surrounded by burnt areas uh and where the fire is still active. Uh there’s a thick smell of smoke in the air. You can’t uh forget for any second that we are in the middle of a fire zone. Uh but we have seen more favorable uh firefighting conditions overnight into this Thursday uh with humidity and and no wind. Uh but firefighters do say look we need to be vigilant here because we are expecting the wind to pick up again uh from the east though it is hoped that it will still bring some humidity with it from the sea. But for firefighters the priority now is to try to contain uh this fire. But we spoke to a few firefighters here. Uh some of them who’ve been in the job for decades and they did say that this fire is absolutely gigantic. And even if they have worked on huge fires before, this one is very particular, notably because of the speed at which it progressed, it was nearly 30 kilometers in the space of 24 hours that it traveled. That’s five or six kilometers per hour. And they were trying to get across to us the message that, you know, that’s a very brisk walk if not faster. So this is uh very exceptional. Caris, it’s obviously been disastrous this fire for some people, but very disturbing for for thousands of people in the area. That’s right, Stuart. So where I am now is actually where that woman that you talked about died. A 65year-old woman uh died. An investigation is being opened into the exact circumstances uh of her death. But we spoke a little earlier to the mayor of this town, Zevier de Volunta. He told us that people here are still in shock. Um but obviously uh people are trying to rally to help each other out and that um this morning at 7:00 a.m. people were rather optimistic after having seen, you know, more favorable conditions. It was still cool back then, but he said now things are starting to heat up again and it reminds us that this is not over. We need to stay uh vigilant. Um and we spoke to a few residents as well. While one of them was more optimistic, that was earlier on this morning when it was cooler. Another man said that he was he was very scared. He’s actually from a village uh next to this one and he said on Wednesday the flames reached very close to his house uh you know and he wasn’t sure if he would have to evacuate or not. And there is still some sort of confusion. You know, he was at the pharmacy wondering if it was going to be open, if he’d be able to buy his medicine. Uh in the end it did, but uh people are, you know, adapting to the conditions as as they move. Uh but what the mayor did say and underline to us, it’s that in these small towns like this in in rural France, this is where we really see uh people rally uh together and and show some solidarity. Carious. Thanks very much.

France’s biggest wildfire in years was spreading quickly Wednesday in a Mediterranean region near Spain after leaving one person dead and several injured, authorities said. The fire burned an area larger than Paris, and the military was called in to help. FRANCE 24’s Carys Garland is in the region to report.
#France #wildfire #Aude

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9 comments

  1. Electric cars aren't selling are they, so they HAVE to push the climate agenda again, to worry us all into buying one.

  3. Thank you for showing where the fire is on the map – this is always useful.
    I hope that they manage to control the fire & that no-one else gets hurt.

  7. Solidarity can be found in the countryside which is something Paris overlooks when they are making rules and regulation that benefit city dwellers and no one else.

  8. Problem is that you don’t have access to an endless water supply that the pumps require to effectively extinguish the blazing fires.
    It’s almost impossible to get far enough ahead of the fire to create a fire break and prevent the fire from spreading further.
    With the lack of any foreseeable rain and the dry conditions continuing, the worst case scenario is that the winds start to pick up and fan the flames.
    Our thoughts are with the brave firefighters who run towards the fires and the unfortunate residents who are affected by this disaster, may you all stay safe and get through these difficult days ahead.

  9. We pray for all firefighters across the Europe & may forests be protected 🙏🏻 & citizens.
    Unified international solidarity to stream the help & equippment asap wharever needed would be helpful.
    Our forests are our treasures. Forests recovery is long decades process&may never fully be possible.

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