US EditionMassive French Wildfire 'Contained' but Unlikely to Be Under Control Until Late Sunday
AUDE REGION, FRANCE, AUG 9 – Firefighters guard hot spots after containing a wildfire that burned over 160 square kilometers, with extreme heat complicating efforts, officials said.
- Amid fears of reignition, 1,400 firefighters and the Spanish Military Emergencies Unit worked overnight in the southern Aude region to prevent France’s largest wildfire in decades.
- The fire began on Friday afternoon in the Aude region, burning over 160 square kilometers in a wooded area known for its wineries, with scientists warning climate change is worsening heat and dryness.
- Under soaring heat, Meteo France placed the southern Aude region on a 'high vigilance' alert for temperatures up to 39C, Pouget reported that the fire killed one person and injured 25, including 19 firefighters.
- On Saturday, authorities reopened all roads but a strict forest access ban remained, with Col. Christophe Magny warning hotspots will keep the fire active for weeks.
- With heat persisting, firefighting efforts face added challenges as Spain’s national weather service projects extreme temperatures will last until at least next week.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Firefighters Battle to Prevent Reignition of France’s Largest Wildfire as Residents Return Home
PARIS—About 1,400 firefighters were deployed Saturday in France’s southern Aude region to prevent the country’s largest wildfire in decades from reigniting, as all residents were allowed to return to their homes. Aude prefect Christian Pouget said the fire has been contained since Thursday after burning this week more than 160 square kilometers (62 square miles) in the wooded region, known for its wineries. All roads have been reopened but autho…
France Sends Crews to Keep Fatal Wildfire From Reigniting
About 1,400 firefighters were deployed Saturday in France's southern Aude region to prevent the country's largest wildfire in decades from reigniting, as all residents were allowed to return to their homes. Aude prefect Christian Pouget said the fire has been contained since Thursday after burning more than 62 square...
Massive French wildfire 'contained' but unlikely to be under control until late Sunday
France’s biggest wildfire in decades has been contained, officials said Saturday, but warned that “until Sunday evening the fire will not be under control”. Hot winds and 40°C heat are threatening to reignite the blaze that has killed one person and torn through 16,000 hectares in the southern Aude department.
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