lipflip – France is continuing to battle its largest wildfire in 75 years, which broke out on Tuesday near the village of Ribaute in the Aude region. Though officials say the fire is now contained, it remains far from extinguished and is expected to burn for several more days. Authorities confirmed on Friday that firefighting efforts will continue until the area is fully secure.
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The fire has devastated more than 17,000 hectares (42,000 acres), an area larger than Paris. More than 2,000 firefighters, 500 firefighting vehicles, army units, and gendarmerie personnel remain deployed. Water-bombing aircraft have also played a crucial role in containing the blaze. Satellite images captured on Thursday show smoke plumes and vast scorched areas, revealing the full extent of the damage.
A woman died, and the blaze injured 13 people, including 11 firefighters. Two firefighters remain in critical condition. The fire forced authorities to evacuate residents across the Corbières region. And they opened 17 temporary accommodation sites for those displaced. Authorities have banned access to the affected forests until at least Sunday. Citing dangers from fallen power lines and unstable terrain.
Lucie Roesch, secretary general of the Aude prefecture, confirmed that firefighters have the fire under control but will need several days to fully extinguish it. Christian Pouget, prefect of Aude, echoed her statement and warned that “there is still a lot of work to be done” before the emergency ends.
Climate Conditions and Wind Drove Fire’s Rapid Spread
Officials have linked the wildfire’s unprecedented scale to climate change and worsening environmental conditions. French Prime Minister François Bayrou described it as a “catastrophe on an unprecedented scale” during a visit to the Aude region. He said global warming and drought were clear contributing factors, a sentiment echoed by Environment Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher.
Local officials said strong winds, dry vegetation, and high summer temperatures caused the fire to spread rapidly. These conditions created an ideal environment that allowed the flames to advance quickly and unpredictably. Jacques Piraud, mayor of Jonquières—a village where several homes burned—estimated that the fire destroyed 80% of the area. “It’s dramatic. It’s black, the trees are completely charred,” he said in a statement to Le Monde.
On Wednesday, President Emmanuel Macron said that the government has mobilised all available national resources to support firefighting and recovery efforts. He urged citizens to exercise “the utmost caution” while authorities continue managing the aftermath.
With villages still on high alert and access to fire zones restricted, the immediate priority remains safety and containment. The longer-term challenge will be recovery, both for the environment and the affected communities. As France confronts the growing impact of climate-linked disasters, this wildfire stands as a stark warning of the risks ahead.