Wildfire Nears Bordeaux
A huge wildfire was bearing down on Bordeaux on Sunday after driving around 220,000 people from their homes across southwestern France.
Footage shows firefighters using excavators and bulldozers to rip down trees in the commune of Cestas, carving out firebreaks as the flames raced towards the city.
By Sunday morning, the blaze had scorched around 42,000 hectares across the Gironde region, with hundreds of homes reportedly destroyed.
Bordeaux Mayor Thomas Cazenave said the fire had reached within around 15 kilometres of the city centre.
Bordeaux itself was not under evacuation orders, but residents were forced to flee several communities to the west, including Cestas and Marcheprime.
Massive Rescue Efforts
Authorities warned evacuees they would not be allowed home until the danger had passed.
The city’s exhibition centre was turned into an emergency shelter, leaving thousands facing an uncertain wait away from their homes.
Around 2,500 firefighters were battling the inferno, backed by 18 aircraft, military personnel and reinforcements from across Europe.
The operation came just days after two firefighters were killed tackling a separate building fire in Merignac, near Bordeaux-Merignac Airport, on July 21.
Article by Viory
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