The southern region of France was hit by wildfires on the 5th local time, with the burned area currently reaching 11,000 hectares and 9 people injured.
This is one of the large-scale wildfires that have occurred in France this year. The incident took place near the town of Ribou in the Aude department of the Occitanie region in southern France, close to the historic city of Carcassonne.
The wildfire, which broke out on the 5th, spread rapidly, with the burned area increasing from several hundred hectares to 11,000 hectares.
Video footage from the scene shows raging flames engulfing the disaster area, with the situation described as quite severe. Local officials described the fire as extremely fierce. More than 1,500 firefighters and several helicopters have been dispatched to the scene to help contain the blaze.
The wildfire has already caused some damage: one person has been severely burned, another person injured, and seven firefighters hurt; 30 vehicles have been destroyed and multiple homes are threatened by the flames; about 4,800 households have lost power due to the wildfire. Evacuation has begun for residents in areas near the wildfire.
The meteorological department of the Aude department pointed out that local weather conditions are "very unfavorable" for firefighting efforts, with gusts of wind on the evening of the 5th reaching speeds of 60 to 70 kilometers per hour.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the country has made a full response, calling on people to support firefighters and military personnel participating in fire suppression efforts.
He urged the public to remain vigilant and follow instructions from local authorities.