France Firefighters Battle Monster Wildfire near Bordeaux

[Meatpie]

More than 1,000 firefighters are battling a "monster" wildfire in south-western France that has already destroyed nearly 7,000 hectares (17,300 acres) of forest, officials say.

The raging blaze near the city of Bordeaux has gutted a number of homes and forced 10,000 residents to flee.

"It's an ogre, it's a monster," firefighter representative Gregory Allione told France's RTL Radio.

Strong winds and high temperatures are hampering the firefighting operation.

President Emmanuel Macron announced that Austria, Germany, Greece, Poland and Romania "are coming to aid" France in battling the blaze. "European solidarity at work!" he tweeted.
This summer France and a number of other European countries have seen a wave of deadly wildfires, triggered by record temperatures and droughts across the continent.

France firefighters battle 'monster' wildfire near Bordeaux

The blaze in France's south-west has gutted a number of homes and forced some 10,000 people to flee.

www.bbc.com

More than 1,000 deaths have been attributed to the heat in Portugal and Spain.

 

[Meatpie]

Temperatures in France could again top 40C on Thursday, weather forecasters predicted today.

Currently more than 1,000 firefighters battle the rampant Landiras fire south of Bordeaux, with hundreds of reinforcements expected.