Firefighters in southern France fought on Wednesday (6) to control the largest forest fire in the country so far this year, local authorities said.
One person died in the village of Saint-Laurent-de -la-Cabrerisse and one person from the same place is missing, the City of Aude reported. The fire has already burned at least 25 houses. Many roads in the region are closed.
The city said the fire is progressing “very quickly” and that nearly two thousand firefighters try to control it. About 2,500 homes in the area were without electricity, he said.
This is “an unprecedented scale disaster”, told Firefighters Eric Brocardi to RTL radio, saying the fire is spreading at 5.5 km/h.
The fire has already burned 13,000 hectares, the head of local firefighters, Christophe Magy, told BFM TV, becoming the largest area burned this year and one of the worst forest fires that have already hit the country.
The affected area is larger than that of the city of Paris.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou will visit the place of the fire later this Wednesday (6).
Scientists say they put them at high risk of forest fires.
Once started, abundant dry vegetation and strong winds in the region can cause them.
