Thousands in France allowed to return home as Europe tackles wildfires and heatwave
Thousands of residents in France's Gironde region are returning home as firefighters stabilize massive forest fires. While the situation is improving, authorities remain cautious as Europe continues to battle a historic heatwave.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the increasing frequency of extreme climate-related disasters and the strain they place on emergency infrastructure.
BORDEAUX, France — Firefighters in southwestern France said Friday they were working on four active hotspots as they tried to put out fires that ripped through 100,000 acres of forest, villages and farmland over the past week.
Lt. Col. Eric Pitault, the spokesman for firefighters in the Gironde region, said that while the situation had "stabilized," there are still several zones that are difficult for responders to access.
Europe France and Spain fires force more than 300,000 to flee homes He said authorities were hoping to have full control by the weekend.
Tens of thousands of people near Bordeaux who were evacuated due to fire risk were allowed to return to their homes on Thursday night, as the rest of Europe continued to tackle a historic heatwave.
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