France on alert as extreme heat poses threat of reigniting largest forest fire in 70 years
The fire, which spread over a perimeter of 90 kilometers, forced hundreds of people to evacuate their homes. Even today, around 1,000 people have not been able to return. Many roads remain closed, access is dangerous, and about 1,300 homes are still without electricity due to damage to the infrastructure.
Solidarity in the midst of disaster
The mayor of Tuchan, Beatrice Bertrand, recalls how on Tuesday, when the flames started, she welcomed more than 200 people from the nearby village of Durban-Corbières. “We provided them with food thanks to the late-opening shops, Civil Protection brought us beds, and neighbors offered their homes. Many were shocked and scared,” she said.
A threat that is not over
Although the crews managed to contain the fire, the risk of it reigniting is high. Forecasts suggest that this weekend, in a context of extreme dryness and changing winds. The regional governor, Christian Pouget, has urged the population not to let their guard down. The investigation to determine the origin of the fire remains open. France, like the rest of Southern Europe, is experiencing increasingly intense and frequent fires. Last month, a fire in Marseille – the country’s second-largest city – left nearly 300 people injured. According to the European Union’s, Europe is the continent that is warming the fastest, with temperatures rising twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s. [Source: ]
