Hundreds of people have been evacuated in southwestern France as new wildfires rage amid record September temperatures. Around 540 people in the …
Hundreds of people have been evacuated in southwestern France as new wildfires rage amid record September temperatures.
Around 540 people in the Gironde region have been moved from their homes after blazes broke out on Monday.
The flames have destroyed four houses, several other buildings and 1,300 hectares of land, authorities say.
The largest fire is currently burning near the town of Saumos, while a smaller blaze has broken out south of Bordeaux, near Dax, where temperatures reached 39°C.
Strong winds have hampered the overnight efforts of nearly 350 firefighters to extinguish the flames.
Two Canadair aircraft have been deployed to help, alongside firefighting helicopters and two Dash planes.
French weather agency Meteo France announced on Monday that it had recorded record temperatures for September — 39.1°C in the southwestern Landes region.
The area was hit by heatwaves, drought, and devastating wildfires over the summer. So far, more than 60,000 hectares of land have been ravaged in France this year.
