‘We stared into an abyss’: the heroes battling to tame France’s ‘megafire’
Firefighters and emergency teams in France are battling a massive wildfire near Bordeaux that has forced the evacuation of 200,000 people. Despite containing the blaze, crews remain on high alert for 'zombie fires' that continue to smolder underground.
Why it matters
The increasing frequency of 'megafires' highlights the growing human and environmental toll of climate change in Europe.
Residents of Le Porge, near Bordeaux, watch as the massive wildfire threatens their homes./Getty Images Exhausted firefighters wage ‘war of attrition’ against blaze that forced 200,000 people from their homes
Prefer the Guardian on Google B y noon it is time for a break. The temperature is about 35C, the smell of ash, cinders and burnt wood hang acrid in the air. At tables laid out in the shrinking shade on the desiccated grass and sand outside the sports centre in Le Porge, 200 men and a handful of women have gathered. Firefighters, soldiers, police, gendarmes, officials, first aid teams, foresters and volunteers sit elbow to elbow, plates of sausages, steak and potatoes in front of them.
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