France faces 24-hour race to control fires before 40C heatwave [LKx2Va5pSfq]
French firefighters have just 24 hours to control a rapidly spreading wildfire before a 40C heatwave sweeps the southwest of the country, bringing hot and dry weather that could exacerbate the blaze. More than 360,000 people have been evacuated across and France and Spain due to wildfires as Europe bakes in one of the hottest summers on record. Authorities warned that the fires raging just 15km outside the city of Bordeaux could last for months, with crews from all over the country forced to rotate in to extinguish the blaze. According to forecaster La Chaîne Météo, a new “powerful” heatwave will hit France on Wednesday. With temperatures set to peak at 40C on the Atlantic coast in the afternoon, the new heatwave warning gives firefighters just a 24-hour window to control the blaze. Philippe de Gonneville, the mayor of Lege-Cap-Ferret, said: “We need to be conscious that the war is not over and we still have challenges to face over the coming days.” Climate data shows Europe is heating faster than anywhere else on earth. The continent has already faced extreme heat events multiple times this year. Macron says France ‘in most difficult time since WW2’ amid race to fight blazes France has 24 hours to control fires before 40C heatwave that could worsen crisis France faces 24-hour race to control fires before 40C heatwave #france #bordeaux #wildfires #wildfire Full article: Watch more on Independent TV: The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking newsbrand, providing global news, commentary and analysis for the independently-minded. Subscribe: Find us on social: TikTok / Instagram / X (Twitter) / Facebook / Download the iOS & Android app: Sign up to our newsletters: Help to support truly independent journalism. Every dollar you contribute will directly fund additional special reports and investigations from a free-thinking, award-winning newsroom you can trust: