A massive wildfire that tore through 16,000 hectares (39,500 acres) of forest and villages in southern France since Tuesday has been contained, local authorities announced on Thursday, marking a major step in battling the country’s largest blaze since 1949.
Nearly 2,000 firefighters will remain in the Aude region in the coming days to prevent flare-ups and secure burned areas. Residents are still barred from returning without clearance as roads remain blocked and hazards such as fallen power lines persist.
The fire, fueled by months of drought, parched vegetation, and strong winds, destroyed 36 homes, damaged 20 others, and forced around 2,000 residents and holidaymakers to evacuate.
Eighteen people, including 16 firefighters, were injured, and one woman died after reportedly ignoring evacuation orders. At the height of the crisis, 5,000 households lost electricity; 1,500 remain without power.
A burned vehicle sits amid land scorched by a wildfire, near Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, southern France, August 7, 2025. REUTERS/Manon Cruz
Drone footage showed swathes of blackened earth across an area one-and-a-half times the size of Paris. “We don’t have water, internet or electricity anymore. We have nothing. It’s the apocalypse,” said Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse resident and farmer Alain Reneau, who fought to save his home for two nights.
Authorities warned that, despite containment, the fire could reignite under changing weather conditions. Environment Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher called it a “consequence of climate change,” linking the unprecedented scale to prolonged drought and extreme heat.
An investigation is under way to determine the cause, while local winemakers and mayors have partly blamed the loss of vineyards, once natural firebreaks, for the blaze’s rapid spread.
France’s weather office has warned of a new heatwave in other parts of the south starting Friday, adding urgency to recovery and prevention efforts.
Written By Rodney Mbua
