Aude, France, August 8, 2025 – France’s largest wildfire in 75 years, which has scorched over 17,000 hectares (42,000 acres) in the Aude region of southern France, is now under control but will continue burning for several days, authorities announced on Friday. The fire, which began near the village of Ribaute on Tuesday, has caused one death, injured 13 people—including 11 firefighters, two critically—and devastated an area larger than Paris.
More than 2,000 firefighters, supported by 500 firefighting vehicles, gendarmerie, and army personnel, remain deployed to combat the blaze. Water-bombing aircraft, including helicopters and planes, conducted 130 water drops on Wednesday to suppress the flames. Lucie Roesch, secretary general of the Aude prefecture, confirmed the fire is contained, but Aude Prefect Christian Pouget cautioned that it will not be fully extinguished for several days, with significant work still ahead.
The wildfire, described as a “catastrophe on an unprecedented scale” by French Prime Minister François Bayrou, has been linked to climate change and drought. During a visit to Aude on Wednesday, Bayrou noted the fire’s connection to global warming, a sentiment echoed by Environment Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher. Strong winds, dry vegetation, and hot summer weather fueled the fire’s rapid spread, according to officials.
Satellite imagery on Thursday revealed extensive burn scars and smoke across the region, particularly near Ribaute, Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, and Jonquières. Jacques Piraud, mayor of Jonquières, reported that around 80% of his village was burnt, with several homes destroyed. “It’s dramatic. It’s black, the trees are completely charred,” he told Le Monde.
Authorities have banned access to the affected forests until at least Sunday due to hazards like fallen electricity lines. Residents have been urged not to return home, with 17 temporary accommodation sites established. Villages in the Corbieres region remain on high alert.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated on Wednesday that “all of the nation’s resources are mobilized” and urged the public to exercise caution. The scale of the devastation, visible from satellite images, underscores the severity of the wildfire, the largest in France since 1949.
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