The fire erupted on 5/8 in the village of Ribaute and quickly spread through surrounding areas in the Aude region of southern France. After three days, the fire had ravaged approximately 16,000 hectares of forests, agricultural land, and villages, marking the worst wildfire in France since 1949.
The fire killed one woman, injured 18 people, and damaged or destroyed more than 50 homes. Around 2,000 locals and tourists were evacuated, and numerous roads were closed.
On 7/8, French officials reported containing the fire after mobilizing the nation's entire firefighting resources, deploying nearly 2,000 firefighters and 500 fire trucks to the scene.
These forces will remain in the area in the coming days to prevent the fire from reigniting.
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Wildfire in the Aude region, southern France, on 6/8. Photo: AFP |
Wildfire in the Aude region, southern France, on 6/8. Photo: AFP
Around 1,500 homes in the Aude region remain without power after the fire swept through. "We saved our house after fighting the fire all night, but now there's no electricity, water, or internet. It's like the apocalypse," said Alain Reneau, a farmer in Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, a village heavily affected by the wildfire.
Satellite images show large plumes of smoke rising from the wildfire in southern France, drifting toward the Mediterranean Sea, reflecting the scale of the disaster.
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Smoke from the wildfire in southern France. Photo: NASA |
Smoke from the wildfire in southern France. Photo: NASA
"Never in my life have I seen such a big wildfire," said 77-year-old Simon Gomez from Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse.
French authorities said the fire spread unusually fast due to strong winds and dry vegetation after months of drought.
"This is a consequence of climate change and the drought in the region," said Environment Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Duc Trung (According to Reuters, AFP, Le Monde)
