A massive wildfire continues to devastate parts of southern France, killing one person, leaving another missing, and forcing thousands from their homes.
Screenshot from BBC News Instagram video
The blaze broke out on Tuesday, 5 August, near the village of Ribaute in the Aude region and has since scorched more than 15,000 hectares (58 square miles) — an area larger than Paris, as told by BBC News.
Authorities say it is the worst wildfire France has seen since 1949.
Scorched earth and communities in crisis
The wildfire, fuelled by strong winds, dry vegetation, and extreme summer heat, has destroyed at least 25 homes. More than 2,500 households are currently without electricity, and dozens of vehicles have also been reduced to ash.
The main affected villages include Lagrasse, Fabrezan, Tournissan, Coustouge, and Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse. In Jonquières, Mayor Jacques Piraud reported that around 80% of the village was destroyed.
“It’s dramatic. It’s black. The trees are completely charred,” he told Le Monde.
France declares national emergency response
Over 2,150 firefighters and 500 vehicles have been deployed to fight the inferno, supported by dozens of water-bombing aircraft. Despite these efforts, officials warn the fire remains highly active and could burn for several more days.
“The situation remains unfavourable,” said Lucie Roesch, secretary general of the Aude prefecture, citing a dangerous combination of drought, strong winds, and rising temperatures.
Seventeen temporary shelters have been set up, and residents have been urged not to return home. Some roads have reopened, but large swathes of the area remain inaccessible.
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An environmental catastrophe
French Prime Minister François Bayrou described the disaster as “a catastrophe on an unprecedented scale,” linking it directly to climate change and prolonged drought conditions.
President Emmanuel Macron added that “all of the nation’s resources are mobilised” and urged citizens to exercise “the utmost caution.”
In some areas up to 30km away, residents are reporting the fire’s effects. “The air is suffocating… the smell of burning has seeped into homes,” said Serge de Souza, a resident of the seaside town of Port-la-Nouvelle.
Smoke seen from space as environmental toll mounts
Satellite images shared by Météo-France show the thick smoke plume visible from space. Beachgoers hours away from the fire reported seeing black clouds looming over the coastline, further underlining the scale of the disaster.
“This is a disaster of unprecedented scale,” said Eric Brocardi, spokesperson for the national firefighters’ union, in an interview with RTL radio.
A growing risk in the Mediterranean
The region’s vulnerability has increased in recent years due to reduced rainfall and the removal of traditional vineyards, which once acted as natural firebreaks. Scientists have repeatedly warned that rising temperatures and prolonged droughts across the Mediterranean make such wildfires more frequent and more intense.
According to France’s emergency management services, more than 15,000 hectares have burned across the country this summer in over 9,000 separate fires. The Aude wildfire alone accounts for as much damage as all previous fires this season combined.
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