LAGRASSE: A wildfire in southern France has left one woman dead and nine others injured, with flames consuming 11,000 hectares of land. The blaze, which began on Tuesday afternoon, has damaged or destroyed 25 homes in the Aude department, prompting a massive response from 1,500 firefighters.
The Aude prefecture confirmed the fatality, stating the woman died in her home. Two civilians were injured, one critically with severe burns. Seven firefighters also sustained injuries, two requiring hospitalization, while one person remains missing.
“The fire is advancing in an area where all the conditions are ripe for it to progress. We are monitoring the edges and the back of the fire to prevent flare-ups,“ said Lucie Roesch, secretary general of the Aude prefecture. She noted that aerial reinforcements would arrive at dawn but warned the operation could last days.
Overnight, high humidity slowed the fire’s spread. Authorities evacuated parts of a village and camping grounds, closing several roads. French President Emmanuel Macron pledged full national support, urging caution.
The Aude department has faced worsening wildfires due to reduced rainfall and declining vineyards, which once acted as natural firebreaks. – AFP