Largest forest fire in France since 1949 under control: Lasted 3 days, 1 person died
French authorities announced that the disaster in the Aude region in the south of the country, which has been recorded as the largest forest fire in the country since 1949, has been brought under control, but that it will take several days to completely extinguish the flames.
İHA
The Aude region in southern France has been battling a massive forest fire that has been raging since August 5.
Authorities announced that the fire, which grew rapidly due to hot weather, dry vegetation, and intermittently intensifying winds, was brought under control as of last night, but noted that it could take several days to completely extinguish the fire, where flames are still active.
Aude Prefect Christian Pouget stated that 2,000 people were evacuated from areas with high temperatures near the approximately 90-kilometer forest zone affected by the ongoing fire. Prefect Pouget noted that firefighting efforts are continuing, saying, "There is still a lot of work to do. We will not declare the fire completely extinguished for several days."
1 PERSON DIED, 23 PEOPLE INJURED IN THE FIRE
According to the latest data from the prefecture, 16,000 hectares of land were affected by the forest fire, with 13,000 hectares completely reduced to ash. Additionally, 36 houses and 40 vehicles were burned, and 1,300 households were left without electricity. The toll of the fire includes the death of a 65-year-old woman, while 23 people, including 18 firefighters and 5 civilians, were injured.
It was reported that 2 of the injured are in critical condition. As a result of search and rescue operations, 3 missing people were found alive. It is known that hundreds of people in the fire zone have taken shelter in school gymnasiums and municipal buildings.
"HOT WEATHER WILL BE EFFECTIVE AGAIN"
Fire Captain Olivier Compta, head of the support team from the Seine-et-Marne region fighting the fire, said, "We are currently still trying to identify and intervene in hot spots. Hot weather will be effective again in the coming days, and there is a possibility that the wind will pick up. Our goal is to keep this area safe."
Colonel Christophe Magny of the Aude Fire Department, referring to the work carried out throughout the night, stated, "There were flare-ups at four different points during the night. Our teams intervened quickly. Our helicopter, which has a water discharge capacity of 4 tons, is working in coordination with the ground teams."
"THE LARGEST FIRE SINCE 1949"
French Minister of Ecological Transition Agnes Pannier-Runacher and French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau had described the fire as "the largest forest fire France has seen since 1949."