In southern France, firefighters are battling the country’s largest wildfire in nearly 80 years. The blaze, which erupted in the Aude region, has already consumed an area larger than Paris. One person was killed in the village of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, located about 30 kilometers from Perpignan. The fire spread rapidly through forests and villages, destroying at least 25 homes and forcing residents and tourists to flee with little to no warning. Many roads in the area have been closed, and around 2,500 households are without electricity.

Prime Minister Francois Bayrou called the situation a disaster of unprecedented scale during his visit to the affected village. So far, more than 15,000 hectares have been burned — a figure equal to or even exceeding the total area affected by fires in all of France in recent years. According to Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, this is the most extensive single wildfire the country has seen since 1949.

Witnesses described the fire’s speed as terrifying. A Dutch tourist, Renate Koot, recounted how she and her partner were on the phone with their children one moment, and fleeing in their car the next, without time to gather any belongings. Others, like Spanish tourist Issa Medina, spoke of disbelief and chaos as firefighters’ sirens echoed through the area.

Authorities say the fire is spreading at a speed of 5.5 kilometers per hour, with nearly 2,000 firefighters trying to contain it. Officials remain concerned as wind shifts could worsen the situation. Scientists have warned that climate change is making the Mediterranean region more vulnerable to wildfires, not only during summer but increasingly in spring and autumn as well.

Meanwhile, in Spain, a prolonged heatwave has intensified fire risks. Temperatures have reached up to 43°C in some areas since Sunday, with the heatwave expected to continue into the following week. A major fire in the southern town of Tarifa, sparked by a burning caravan, continues to burn, reignited by strong winds and scorching heat. In Portugal, wildfires have destroyed over 42,000 hectares so far this year — the highest toll since 2022, and eight times more than at this point last year. A particularly intense blaze near Vila Real in the north was finally brought under control early Wednesday, after several days of extreme heat that pushed temperatures close to 40°C.