France battles multiple wildfires amid extreme heat; 18 deaths reported
Several wildfires broke out in France on Tuesday, destroying hundreds of hectares as the country experiences record-breaking heat. A red heat warning has been issued for more than half of the country's departments on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, June 23, France saw several wildfires that together scorched hundreds of hectares, according to BFMTV. One fire started in the Lot-et-Garonne department in the southwest, covering 87 hectares. More than 180 firefighters were deployed to combat it.
Another fire broke out further north in a forest in the Maine-et-Loire department, with an area of 85 hectares. Around 200 firefighters and dozens of vehicles were involved. A fire also occurred in the Indre department, burning 40 hectares of a field near a forest, leaving two firefighters injured.
Tuesday was the hottest day in France in 79 years since systematic national records began. A red heat warning has been issued for Wednesday for 58 departments—an unprecedented scale. Eighteen deaths have already been linked to the extreme heat. Due to the heat, one nuclear power plant temporarily suspended operations.
