Overview

• Officials declared the wildfire under control on Thursday after it burned roughly 17,000 hectares in southern France’s Aude department
• More than 2,000 firefighters supported by water-bombing aircraft and EU Civil Protection assistance held fire lines as weather conditions eased
• A 65-year-old woman died and 13 people, including 11 firefighters, were injured as thousands of residents and tourists were evacuated
• Authorities warn that full extinguishment could take several days with stronger winds forecast and remaining hot spots still active
• Experts link the unprecedented scale of the blaze to a record heatwave, prolonged drought and the loss of traditional vineyard firebreaks