France's Fiercest Fire: A Fight Against the Flames

In southern France, a vast wildfire continues to rage, having scorched over 17,000 hectares of land. The blaze, which begun earlier this week, has left one person dead and 13 injured, while forcing thousands to evacuate as dozens of homes were destroyed.

Alain Reneau, a farmer in the badly hit village of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, likened the scene to an apocalypse after enduring the fire's wrath for two days. Drones have captured images of stark, charred earth, a testament to the fire's severity, exacerbated by strong winds and a prolonged drought.

Despite changing weather conditions slowing the blaze's spread, nearly 2,000 firefighters remain on high alert, battling potential flare-ups. Environment Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher attributes the catastrophe to climate change, marking it as France's biggest wildfire since 1949, amid warnings of a new looming heatwave.

(With inputs from agencies.)