Large wildfires are raging in France and Spain. The A9 motorway in Southern France, located near the fires, was closed for hours as a precaution. Ten people have been slightly injured, including a child.
The wildfire started on Monday afternoon in a wooded area south of Narbonne, located in the south of France. The fire spread rapidly. Several villages in the area have been evacuated.
Efforts to control the fire have not yet been successful. The fire department has deployed over a thousand firefighters and multiple firefighting aircraft, according to BFMTV.
The fire has damaged at least six houses. In addition, a workshop and a stable went up in flames. Five firefighters and five civilians sustained minor injuries, including a child. Three horses did not survive the fire.
The fire is moving from the wooded area in the hills towards the Mediterranean coast. Roads along the coast have been closed to prevent people from being caught off guard by the fire.
The A9, which runs along the coast towards Spain, was also closed for a long time starting Monday evening. The road reopened on Tuesday morning, but traffic should expect delays of over an hour. The local road network is also completely congested due to traffic detours.
Motorists Sheltered in Gymnasiums
Many motorists were stranded on Monday night because they could not pass through the area. Some had to spend the night in their cars. A portion were accommodated in gymnasiums in the area.
The fire was able to spread quickly due to the dry vegetation. There has been a large rainfall deficit in the area since March, causing shrubs and trees to dry out. The highest warning for wildfires was therefore in effect in the area. The police are investigating how the fire could have started.
Also in Spain, a large forest fire has been raging since Monday near the Catalan city of Tarragona, south of Barcelona. That fire is not yet under control.
Authorities have imposed a lockdown in villages around the fire. Approximately two thousand people must stay indoors and keep their windows closed. Some villages have been evacuated. The Spanish army has been deployed to fight the fire.
