Two French firefighters die tackling blaze near Bordeaux airport
Two firefighters have died while battling a large wildfire near Bordeaux-Mérignac airport in France. The blaze is part of a series of wildfires exacerbated by record-breaking heatwaves across the country.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the increasing severity of climate-related disasters in Europe and the mounting pressure on emergency services.
Figure caption, Watch: Firefighters tackle huge blaze near Bordeaux airport
Two firefighters have died while battling a huge blaze near Bordeaux's airport in south-west France, officials have said.
Reports in French media say the blaze, near one of the parking lots at the airport, originated from a brush fire and then spread to a building.
Pictures shared on social media show passengers getting off a plane as a massive plume of smoke rises nearby. A number of flights scheduled to arrive at Bordeaux–Mérignac airport have been delayed.
Some 100 firefighters, backed by specialist aircraft, are reported to be trying to extinguish the blaze.
The country's Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said he had been informed about the deaths by officials in the Gironde department.
Speaking during Tuesday's question-and-answer session at the French parliament, Nuñez also said he would travel to Gironde "as soon as possible" to oversee the firefighting efforts.
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