{"id":325412,"date":"2025-08-07T14:35:14","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T14:35:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/325412\/"},"modified":"2025-08-07T14:35:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T14:35:14","slug":"frances-largest-wildfire-for-75-years-still-not-under-control-officials-say-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/325412\/","title":{"rendered":"France’s largest wildfire for 75 years still not under control, officials say"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ReutersReuters<\/p>\n

Firefighters in Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse have been battling flames on Thursday after the fire spread through forests and villages in the Aude region of southern France<\/p>\n

France’s largest wildfire for 75 years, which has burned through an area larger than Paris, has slowed overnight but is not yet under control, officials have said.<\/p>\n

More than 2,000 firefighters and 500 firefighting vehicles continue to be deployed to the Aude region, alongside gendarmerie and army personnel, officials said on Thursday.<\/p>\n

An elderly woman has died and 13 people, including 11 firefighters, have been injured, with two in a critical condition, since the fire broke out near the village of Ribaute in southern France on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Three people have also been reported missing by their relatives and dozens of homes have been destroyed, the Aude prefecture added.<\/a><\/p>\n

Christophe Magny, one of the officials leading the firefighting operation told local media outlet France Info on Thursday that firefighters hoped to contain the wildfire later in the day.<\/p>\n

Images overnight showed firefighters tackling the 16,000 hectare (62sq miles) blaze, which officials said had lost intensity since Wednesday due to wind and lower temperatures.<\/p>\n

Water-bombing aircraft have also helped tackle the flames.<\/p>\n

\"ReutersReuters<\/p>\n

A combined 130 water drops were made on Wednesday by helicopters and planes in a bid to douse flames<\/p>\n

Smoke from the fires and large areas of burnt land could be seen from satellite images on Thursday, highlighting the scale of the devastation across the region.<\/p>\n

Residents have been urged not to return home while operations continue, with 17 temporary accommodation sites opened up.<\/p>\n

Villages in the Corbieres region remain on high alert, according to French media.<\/p>\n

Officials say the wildfire is the largest in France since 1949, with French Prime Minister Fran\u00e7ois Bayrou calling it a “catastrophe on an unprecedented scale”.<\/p>\n

\"Satellite<\/p>\n

During a visit to the Aude region on Wednesday, Bayrou said the fire was connected to global warming and drought.<\/p>\n

Environment Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher also linked the blaze to climate change.<\/p>\n

Officials said on Wednesday the fire’s quick advance was driven by strong winds, dry vegetation and hot summer weather.<\/p>\n

Jacques Piraud, mayor of the village of Jonqui\u00e8res, where several houses burned down, told Le Monde that around 80% of the village was burnt.<\/p>\n

“It’s dramatic. It’s black, the trees are completely charred,” he said.<\/p>\n

French President Emmanuel Macron said yesterday that “all of the nation’s resources are mobilised,” and called on people to exercise “the utmost caution”.<\/p>\n

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