France on alert after containing worst wildfire in decades amid soaring heat

French authorities and firefighters remain on high alert following the containment of the country’s largest wildfire in decades, as soaring temperatures risk reigniting the blaze that tore through the southern Aude region this week.

Over the course of three days, the fire scorched more than 160 square kilometres of land in the Corbières mountains, a well-known wine-producing area. One person died and at least 21 others were injured, including 16 firefighters, as the flames burned through 15 communes, forcing the evacuation of hundreds.

Officials said the fire’s perimeter had reached 90 kilometres before it was brought under control. They also noted that another heatwave could push temperatures beyond 30°C, increasing the risk of flare-ups.

As of Friday morning, roughly 1,000 residents were still unable to return to their homes, with 36 properties either destroyed or severely damaged, according to regional administrator Christian Pouget.

The Aude prefecture has said that around 1,300 homes remain without electricity due to extensive damage to infrastructure.

Emergency shelters have been set up across 17 municipalities to accommodate those displaced. Local officials urged residents not to return to affected areas without official clearance, as many roads remain inaccessible and dangerous.

Tuchan mayor Béatrice Bertrand recounted the early hours of the crisis. “On Tuesday when the fire started, we learned that the inhabitants of the nearby village of Durban-Corbières were arriving in Tuchan,” she told AP. 

“We have received and hosted over 200 people. We gave them food, thanks to local businesses who opened their stores despite it being very late," Bertrand said.

"Civil Protection brought us beds. And also the local villagers offered their homes to welcome them. It was their first night here and many were shocked and scared.”

Authorities have launched an investigation into the origin of the fire.

France’s Minister for Ecological Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, described the incident as the country’s most severe wildfire since 1949.

Though France’s national fire database has only existed since 2006, the scope and speed of the Aude blaze have alarmed officials.

Southern Europe has endured several major wildfires this summer, driven by prolonged droughts and rising temperatures. 

Scientists have long warned that climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of such events. Just last month, a fire near Marseille, France’s second-largest city, injured around 300 people.

According to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe is the fastest-warming continent in the world, with temperatures rising at twice the global average since the 1980s.