A massive wildfire has been ravaging southern France's Aude department since Tuesday afternoon, destroying more than 17,000 hectares of vegetation and leaving a trail of devastation.
The blaze, which began shortly after 16:00 local time on August 5, has so far claimed one life, with three others reported missing, according to French media.
Thick plumes of smoke continue to rise from the scorched hills, and the smell of burning vegetation lingers in the air. Over 2,100 firefighters, backed by 500 vehicles and military assistance, have been deployed to battle the flames both on the ground and from the air.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The disaster has severely disrupted local communities, so 17 temporary shelters have been set up for displaced residents.
"The damage to the house is mainly on the outside, the doors, windows, glass, shutters, roof tiles, and exterior walls are all destroyed. It's truly a heavy loss, Although the interior of the house is mostly intact, everything around the house is gone. My six cars, three boats and seven trailers were burnt too. Everything is gone and nothing is left," said a local named David.
But David also said that they have access to supplies such as food and drink.
"We can still go to shops and buy things, and many people have been bringing us supplies. So we can manage for now, and the villagers are also helping each other," he said.
France's weather agency has warned that a new heatwave expected from August 8 will heighten wildfire risks.
Data showed that since the start of summer, roughly 9,000 wildfires have been reported, mainly along the Mediterranean coast.
Massive wildfire burns 17,000 hectares in southern France
