France’s inferno: Largest fire since 1949 devastates region, lives lost

Southern France is reeling from a catastrophic wildfire, the largest since 1949, which has consumed over 16,000 hectares of land, an area larger than Paris. 

The blaze, which erupted on August 5, 2025, in the village of Ribaute in the Aude department, has left a trail of destruction across the Corbières hills, a region known for its vineyards and mediaeval villages. 

Powerful and frightening images captured by French media depict towering flames, some several metres high, tearing through garrigue and pine forests, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky, visible from the Mediterranean coast. 

Videos from @SecCivileFrance show Canadair water-bombing aircraft swooping low over the inferno, dropping torrents of water and fire retardant in a desperate bid to slow the fire’s advance. 

A particularly haunting image from L’Indépendant shows a charred landscape near Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, where homes have been reduced to ash and debris, resembling a "lunar landscape," as described by local mayor Jacques Piraux. 

Another striking visual from Le Monde captures residents fleeing as smoke engulfs the horizon, with emergency helicopters barely visible through the haze. 

The fire’s ferocity, fuelled by drought, high temperatures, and strong winds, has rendered it "very active" and uncontrollable, according to Lucie Roesch, secretary general of the Aude prefecture.

The human toll is devastating. 

According to the latest reports, one person, an elderly woman, has died in her home in Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, unable to evacuate despite attempts to save her. 

At least 13 people have been injured, including seven firefighters affected by smoke inhalation, with one person in critical condition due to severe burns. 

One individual remains missing, raising fears that the death toll could rise. Over 2,100 firefighters, supported by water-bombing aircraft and military units, are battling the blaze, but unfavorable weather conditions continue to hinder efforts. 

French Prime Minister François Bayrou, who visited the region, called it “a catastrophe of unprecedented scale,” linking the disaster to climate change and drought. 

The Aude prefecture reports that at least 25 homes have been destroyed or damaged, and 2,500 households are without electricity.

The fire’s rapid spread — covering 7,000 hectares in just seven hours — has been described as the fastest and most violent in France this century, underscoring the growing threat of wildfires in a warming world.