Deadly wildfire sweeps through southern France causing “unprecedented catraphophe” | BBC News

The French Prime Minister François Bayrou has said a huge, deadly wildfire sweeping through the south of France is a "catastrophe on an unprecedented scale".

He has been visiting the Aude region, where the worst wildfires for 80 years have scorched an area larger than Paris. Bayrou said the wildfire is linked to global warming and drought.

2,150 firefighters are tackling the blaze, which has ravaged more than 15,000 hectares of countyside. The authorities have warned it could rage for several more days.

The blaze broke out on Tuesday near the village of La Ribaute. Officials say it is France's biggest wildfire since 1949.

It’s the latest in a wave of wildfires across Europe this summer, with climate scientists warning that global warming is creating hotter drier conditions which are making disastrous fires more and more common.

Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by James Waterhouse.

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Post from BBC News on August 06, 2025

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