Shaun
The fires, which have been spreading due to wind and parched vegetation amid the heatwave in the country, had partially damaged 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres) of land and were still growing.
Wildfire spread rapidly in southern France
A wildfire in southern France has spread across an area the size of 2,000 rugby pitches of trees, leading to the temporary closure of a route to Spain and the evacuation of residents. The raging blaze has also led to the closure of an airport on Tuesday (Jul 8).
Marseille airport closed
Authorities of the Marseille Provence airport said that a wildfire, which is rapidly spreading in a nearby area, has forced the closure. The airport website showed several departure flights, including to Brussels, Munich and Naples, had been cancelled.
Over 1,000 firefighters battling inferno
The fires, which have been spreading due to wind and parched vegetation amid the heatwave in the country, had partially damaged 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres) of land and were still growing. More than 1,000 firefighters were battling the inferno overnight, the local authorities said.
‘Fire still not under control’
Local official Christian Pouget said six homes had been partially affected by the fire. He added, “The fire has still not been brought under control.” On Tuesday morning, trees in the village of Prat-de-Cest were blackened or still burning.
Risk remains high on Tuesday
The French weather service, Meteo France, said that the risk of fires remained high on Tuesday. The A9 autoroute to Spain was closed, but the authorities said on Tuesday morning that they were progressively reopening the route.
Heatwave of 16 days
Earlier this weekend, Meteo France said that the heatwave, which began on June 19, had officially ended on Friday (Jul 4) after lasting 16 days. The same day, the first major fire of the season broke out in the southern part of the country.
Local resident recounts fires
Local resident Martine Bou recalled fleeing from her home with her cats, tortoises and dog on Monday afternoon before returning. Her husband, Frederic, stayed all night to hose down trees on the other side of the road to protect their home from fire. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I have never lived next to such an enormous fire,” he told AFP, describing flames dozens of metres (more than a hundred feet) high.
What do experts say?
According to the scientists, the cause behind some forest fires is human-induced climate change, which is increasing the intensity, length and frequency of the extreme heat conditions.
