Fire in southern France burns 11,000 hectares, injures nine / Photo: © AFP
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Fire in southern France burns 11,000 hectares, injures nine
A wildfire in southern France slowed overnight into Wednesday after injuring nine people and burning through 11,000 hectares of vegetation, local officials said.
The blaze, which started on Tuesday afternoon, is still threatening several villages in the Aude department, where 1,500 firefighters have been battling to extinguish it.
"The fire is advancing in an area where all the conditions are ripe for it to progress. We are monitoring the edges and the back of the fire to prevent flare-ups," said Lucie Roesch, secretary general of the Aude prefecture.
She said firefighters are expecting to receive aerial support at dawn, but warned "this fire will keep us busy for several days. It's a long-term operation".
The fire's advance slowed overnight due to high humidity levels, she added.
One person was seriously burned and another injured, the prefecture said, adding that seven firefighters were also hurt.
Camping grounds and one village were partially evacuated, and several local roads have been closed.
"All of the Nation's resources are mobilised," French President Emmanuel Macron said on X, while calling on people to exercise "the utmost caution".
The Aude department has seen an increase in areas burnt in recent years, aggravated by low rainfall and the removal of vineyards, which used to help break the progression of fires.
F.Pavlenko--BTB
