France is confronting its most devastating wildfire in nearly two decades, as flames continue to spread rapidly across the Mediterranean region near the Spanish border, killing one person, injuring several others, and scorching an area larger than Paris.
The blaze, which erupted Tuesday afternoon near the village of Ribaute in the Aude region, has already consumed 16,000 hectares (39,500 acres) of dry, forested land. Over 2,100 firefighters and multiple water-bombing aircraft are working around the clock to contain the flames, which remained “very active” as night fell on Wednesday.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou called the disaster “unprecedented” and visited the fire zone Wednesday to show support for emergency responders and affected residents. “I came to express national solidarity,” he said, adding that both the region’s wine and tourism sectors have been severely impacted.
The fire has left one person dead in their home and injured at least 13 others, including 11 firefighters. Three more people remain missing, according to local officials. Entire villages have been evacuated, including Jonquières, where Mayor Jacques Piraux described the destruction as "hellish," with much of the village reduced to ashes.
“It looks like a lunar landscape, everything is burned,” Piraux told French broadcaster BFM TV. “More than half or three-quarters of the village has burned down.”
Witnesses described the terrifying speed of the fire’s spread. “The sky was blue, and then less than an hour later it was orange,” said Andy Pickup, a resident of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, at the heart of the fire zone. “We could see the fires taking hold on all the hills. At dusk, there were fires in every direction.”
As flames approached, villagers tried to protect homes and local businesses. Ash coated windows, cars, and roads. Two campgrounds were evacuated as a precaution, and residents in nearby areas were urged to stay indoors unless told to evacuate.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced that the military would join firefighting efforts starting Thursday, with several dozen soldiers being deployed to support ground crews.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, though extreme weather conditions have played a significant role. The environment ministry said the Aude region has been suffering from a prolonged drought, with water restrictions in place and exceptionally dry vegetation due to a lack of rainfall.
“This week’s fire is the biggest since the national fire database was created in 2006,” officials said.
Southern Europe has faced an onslaught of wildfires this summer, which scientists link to climate change. Hotter, drier summers are becoming the norm, making the region increasingly vulnerable to large-scale blazes. Last month, a fire near Marseille injured around 300 people.
Europe is warming faster than any other continent — twice the global average since the 1980s, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
“We’ve lived here for 10 years and we’ve seen nothing like this,” Pickup said. “The summers are getting hotter, there’s less and less rain, and that is a major problem.”
Officials warned that strong winds forecast for Thursday could further complicate firefighting efforts.
SR
