World‘We stared into an abyss’: the heroes battling France’s ‘megafire’

Exhausted emergency crews are waging a “war of attrition” against France’s so-called “megafire.” The blaze drove 200,000 people from their homes and consumed 42,000 hectares of mostly forest west of Bordeaux. Although the fire has been contained, new outbreaks continue to appear each day, straining emergency services and the many volunteers helping them. Firefighters, soldiers, police, medical teams, foresters and local volunteers work together through temperatures of about 35C, surrounded by ash and the smell of burned wood.

France wildfiremegafirefirefightersBordeaux

TThe Guardian★★★★☆2026-08-01 04:00Original