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HANDOUT - This photo provided by Securite Civile on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, shows a firefighter using a hose to tackle a forest fire near Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, southern France, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. Photo: Uncredited/Securite Civile/AP/dpa - ATTENTION: For editorial use only and only with full attribution of the above credit
Keystone
The biggest wildfire in decades in France is still keeping firefighters on their toes. The extinguishing work to quell the largest flames is expected to continue until at least Sunday evening, said a spokesman for the local fire department. 1,500 firefighters are still battling the blaze in the department of Aude.
On Tuesday afternoon, a fire broke out in Ribaute, between Carcassonne and Narbonne in the south of the country, spreading over more than 16,000 hectares. The flames spread rapidly in dry conditions and strong winds. The emergency services have been keeping the fire under control since Thursday evening.
The fire affected people in 16 communities. Many of them had to leave their homes. Some lost their homes in the fire. One woman died in the fire and five civilians were injured. Nineteen firefighters also suffered injuries during the operation.
While the roads that had been closed in the meantime are now passable again, the forest in the area of the fire remains off-limits for safety reasons. The authorities described the fire as the one that has destroyed the most hectares of land in France since 1949.
09.08.2025, 15:27
