Blaze contained in southern France but 4 firefighters hurt
Jul 31, 2022, 1:43 PM | Updated: Aug 1, 2022, 8:33 am
This photo provided by the fire brigade of the Gard region (SDIS 30) shows a water-bombing plane spreads water at a forest fire in Aubais, southern France, July 31, 2022. A weekend wildfire in the southern French Gard region that injured four firefighters has now been contained. Firefighter spokesman Colonel Eric Agrinier told French media that 370 hectares were burned and two homes affected by the flames. (SDIS 30 service audiovisuel via AP)
(SDIS 30 service audiovisuel via AP)
PARIS (AP) — A weekend wildfire in the southern French Gard region that injured four firefighters has now been contained, officials said Monday.
Firefighter spokesman Col. Eric Agrinier told French media that 370 hectares (915 acres) were burned and two homes affected by the flames. But he highlighted “dozens and dozens of houses were preserved and (we saw) a human toll of zero casualties among civilians.”
The fire was contained overnight Sunday with some 400 firefighters monitoring the blaze Monday morning, according to the civil protection agency.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin tweeted an alert on Sunday regarding the fire that broke out around 3 p.m. in a pine forest in Aubais, a village of 2,000. Several families were evacuated.
France is set to face another heat wave, and several regions have been put on alert for possible wildfires.
___
Follow all AP stories on climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
