Wildfires raged in the Gironde region of southwestern France on Wednesday, destroying homes and displacing 10,000 residents. Some climbed onto the roof as the flames approached.
A black and orange sky darkened by the smoke rising from the forest and lit by flames, as the fire continued to burn out of control despite the efforts of water-supported firefighters. Saw throughout the region - bombers.
The fires, which have burned approximately 6,200 hectares, are now reaching the neighboring Landes region.
France, like the rest of Europe, is suffering from a series of heatwaves and the worst drought on record this summer. There are dozens of wildfires raging across the country, at least eight of which are major.
Before evacuating parts of the town, the Gironde municipality of Bellimberrier "prepare your documents, animals you can carry and your belongings," he said on Facebook.
In his nearby village of Hostens, police went door-to-door and ordered residents to leave as the fire progressed. Camille DeLay escaped with her partner and his son with two cats, a chicken and home insurance papers.
"Everyone in the village climbed onto the roof to see what was going on. Within 10 minutes the smoke was a little twisted and huge," she said. DeLay told Reuters by phone.
Firefighters said further evacuation was likely. Still, some Hostens residents were reluctant to sell their homes.
"It's complicated to go with a dog. We can't leave it here," said Horan, her 18-year-old Alison, who was with her father. .
"I'm worried because there's a fire on the land behind us and the wind is starting to change direction."
Many small roads and highways have been closed.
Heat wave
More than 57,200 hectares have burned in France so far this year, almost six times the annual average for 2006-2021, data Europe From the Forest Fire Information System show.
"The fire creates its own wind," local official Martin Gespero told reporters, adding that how unpredictable the fire was made efforts to fight it more difficult. added.
Interior Minister Gerard Dalmanin said Sweden and Italy were among the countries preparing to assist France.
He repeatedly called for everyone to take responsibility. Nine out of 10 fires are voluntarily or involuntarily caused by people, he said.
The Gironde wildfires are one of many that have broken out across Europe this summer, due to a heat wave that has devoured continental Europe and brought record temperatures.
In Portugal, more than 3,000 hectares of forest have burned since Saturday in the mountainous Covilha region, 280 km northeast of Lisbon.
Spain and Greece have also had to deal with multiple fires over the past few weeks.
The Gironde River suffered massive wildfires in July that destroyed more than 20,000 hectares of forest and temporarily displaced about 40,000 people.
Authorities believe the fires are the result of previous fires still smoldering in the area's peatlands.
Fires were also raging in the southern divisions of Lozere and Aveyron. More than 1,200 hectares have been destroyed in another fire in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.