New wildfires rage in southwestern France

Wildfires are once again raging in southwestern France, as the nation deals with a renewed heatwave and ongoing drought. The winegrowing Gironde department has described the fires as “rampant” in a statement.

Just weeks after southwestern France was hit by huge fires, including one that burned for two-and-a-half weeks and destroyed colossal areas of forest land, another wildfire has hit the region.

On Tuesday, Reuters reports, wildfires were once again raging in the southwest, with 6,000 hectares burned and nearly 6,000 people evacuated from their homes.

According to French news website The Local, this year is already the worst on record for wildfires. It is estimated that 47,000 hectares have burned since July, an area roughly five times the size of Paris.

“The fire is rampant and has now spread to the Landes department,” authorities from the wine growing Gironde department said in a statement.

The department said that 500 firefighters had been mobilised.

Connexion France also reported wildfire damage over the weekend in Brittany, Dordogne and Isère. Hundreds of acres of land were destroyed and hundreds of people were evacuated amid the blaze.

In July, wildfires raged across the Gironde causing colossal damage. Boutique Bordeaux wine estate Liber Pater – which produces the most expensive grapes in the world – was evacuated at the time. Estimates put the total damage at 20,000 hectares of land, with almost 40,000 people evacuated.

France is in the midst of an exceptionally hot, dry summer which has triggered drought warnings and means the risk of wildfires is heightened.