A huge fire raging through the southern part of France has been hailed as a “catastrophe on an unprecedented scale” by French Prime Minister François Bayrou. The fire, now the largest in the country since 1949, has burned over 15,000 hectares (58 square miles), larger than the city of Paris, and is still raging with no end in sight.
Bayrou, who traveled to the devastated Aude department, attributed the fire to global warming and relentless drought.
Lives Lost and Communities in Crisis
The death toll from the disaster is mounting. One old lady has lost her life, one individual is still missing, and at least 13 individuals have been injured. Over 2,500 homes are left without power, and 25 houses have been destroyed.
The bushfire started on Tuesday in the area around La Ribaute village and has continued to spread at a fast pace fueled by hot summer weather, strong winds, and dry vegetation. The villages of Coustouge, Fabrezan, Lagrasse, Tournissan, and Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse have been among the worst hit.
“It’s Dramatic… Completely Charred”
In the village of Jonquières, where several homes were reduced to ashes, Mayor Jacques Piraud told Le Monde that “around 80% of the village was burnt.”
“It’s dramatic. Its black, the trees are completely charred,” he said.
ALSO READ: Trump Open to Meeting Putin and Zelensky Next Week Amid Rising Global Stakes
Images from the region show blackened vehicles and scorched landscapes, while residents were seen sitting on beaches hours away under skies filled with dark smoke.
Unrelenting Blaze and National Mobilisation
Firefighters, numbering more than 2,150, remain on the front lines alongside water-bombing aircraft, but authorities say the fire could continue burning for several more days.
“The fire is still very active and the situation remains unfavourable,” said Lucie Roesch, secretary general of the Aude prefecture, to AFP. She cited drought, rising temperatures, and strong winds as key challenges.
“This is a disaster of unprecedented scale,” firefighter spokesman Eric Brocardi told RTL radio.
President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that “all of the nation’s resources are mobilised” in response to the disaster and urged the public to exercise “the utmost caution.”
Evacuations and Far-Reaching Effect
A few roads have been reopened, but authorities still warn residents not to re-enter evacuated neighborhoods. Individuals who live up to 30 kilometers (18 miles) away from the fire reported being under heavy smoke and experiencing shortness of breath.
“The air is suffocating… the smell of burning has seeped into homes,” Serge de Souza, a local from the seaside town of Port-la-Nouvelle, told AFP.
A Region at Risk
Satellite photos released by Météo-France demonstrate the huge plume of smoke seen from outer space. The Aude department has grown more susceptible to fires because rainfall has been decreasing and vineyards have been being cut down, once keeping such fires at bay.
Scientists long have said the Mediterranean’s increasingly hot and dry summers put the region at heightened risk of catastrophic wildfires.
Over 9,000 fires have consumed almost 15,000 hectares across the country so far this summer, says France’s emergency management service. The single Aude fire alone now totals that amount of damage, showing the magnitude of this disaster.
ALSO READ: Explained: Trump Targets India Over Russian Oil | Why It Matters to Global Economy
