- Trump fills out cabinet as divisive picks shock Washington
- Son hits 50th South Korea goal in win, Australia-Saudi stalemate
- BHP, Vale cleared by Brazil court over 2015 dam disaster
- Satirical US outlet The Onion buys conspiracy site Infowars
- Scotland must emulate Croatia's 'conveyor belt of talent': Clarke
- Legal migration to OECD reaches new record in 2023
- Robinson edges Benazzi to succeed Beaumont as head of World Rugby
- India's capital shuts all primary schools due to smog
- Central bank independence 'fundamental' for good policy: Fed official
- Fritz beats De Minaur to eye ATP Finals last four, Sinner through
- Doris expecting a 'proper test' against Argentina
- Russia's exiled opposition hopes for rebirth with Berlin rally
- EU fines Meta $840 million for 'abusive' Facebook ad practices
- Springboks boss Erasmus expects England to 'play for Borthwick'
- Before Leicester, Ranieri's brush with glory with his beloved Roma
- Stock markets rise as traders weigh future Fed cuts
- Australian Robinson edges Benazzi to head World Rugby
- US director Haynes to lead Berlinale 2025 jury
- Iran tells UN nuclear chief willing to resolve 'ambiguities'
- Coach owner Tapestry calls off Capri bid on regulatory blocks
- UK government announces ban on new coal mines
- US ski star Lindsey Vonn, 40, to attempt competitive return
- Ranieri comes out of retirement to lead hometown club Roma
- England recall Steward and Van Poortvliet for South Africa Test
- EU fines Meta 798 mn euros for Facebook ad antitrust breach
- Australian Brett Robinson graduates to rugby's top post
- Brazil looking for motive after attempted Supreme Court bombing
- Hotels on Booking.com can offer better rates elsewhere: EU
- EU deforestation ban in chaos as parliament loosens rules
- Springboks make 12 changes to team for England clash
- All Blacks fly-half Barrett returns from concussion against France
- UEFA launches investigation into Premier League referee Coote
- Monaco Formula One GP extended until 2031
- Climate finance: who is being asked to pay what at COP29?
- 'Terrible' AI has given tech an existential headache: activist
- COP29 host tries to calm waters after diplomatic turmoil
- Late drama as Saudis hold Australia in World Cup qualifier
- Stock markets diverge as traders weigh future Fed cuts
- Israel warfare methods 'consistent with genocide': UN committee
- 'In-form leader' Fickou starts for France against New Zealand
- Iran activist kills himself after demanding release of prisoners
- Russia shuts Moscow's famed gulag museum
- London mayor says Trump attacks due to his ethnicity and religion
- Japan expect tough Indonesia test with World Cup spot in reach
- Uganda TikToker convicted for insulting president
- Thousands flee as Typhoon Usagi hits north Philippines
- Burberry launches turnaround plan as posts loss
- Fickou starts for France against New Zealand
- Spain flood epicentre survives fresh rain alert
- Man with explosives dies in blast at Brazil's Supreme Court
SCS | -0.26% | 13.335 | $ | |
BCC | -1.14% | 140.94 | $ | |
JRI | 0.04% | 13.245 | $ | |
CMSC | 0.06% | 24.625 | $ | |
BCE | 0.52% | 27.351 | $ | |
RIO | -0.27% | 60.455 | $ | |
CMSD | 0.1% | 24.755 | $ | |
GSK | 0.48% | 35.28 | $ | |
BTI | 0.58% | 35.625 | $ | |
RYCEF | -2.16% | 6.96 | $ | |
NGG | 0.8% | 62.62 | $ | |
AZN | 0.91% | 65.89 | $ | |
RBGPF | -1.59% | 59.25 | $ | |
VOD | 0.4% | 8.785 | $ | |
RELX | 0.51% | 46.355 | $ | |
BP | 1.17% | 28.909 | $ |
Firefighters contain French blazes but caution reigns
A huge fire that has devastated swathes of southwestern France appeared contained on Friday as French and foreign firefighters worked flat out, but blistering temperatures made victory uncertain, local authorities said.
The 40-kilometre (25-mile) active fire front in the Gironde and Landes departments around Bordeaux "has not developed, but the weather conditions are pushing us towards extreme vigilance", deputy prefect Ronan Leaustic told reporters.
Temperatures stood at 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) in the fire zone, just like the day before.
No new evacuations had been ordered on top of the 10,000 people already asked to leave, Leaustic added.
But "temperatures continue to rise and the water table keeps falling", he said.
EU members including Germany, Poland, Austria and Romania have pledged reinforcements totalling 361 firefighters to join the roughly 1,100 French ones on the ground, along with several water-bombing planes from the European Union fleet.
- 'Helping you guys' -
Many of the newcomers went into action on Friday.
"It doesn't matter which country we're in, we're firefighters, we are able to help people around the world," said Cristian Buhaianu, who commands a 77-strong firefighting contingent from Romania.
At the Merignac air base, near the southwestern city of Bordeaux, where Canadair planes and other firefighting aircraft are stationed, a Greek pilot said scenes of devastation like the ones seen in France were commonplace in his home country.
"We see this every year in Greece, and right now we see this in France," the pilot, 36-year-old Anastasis Sariouglou told AFP. "We have the feeling of helping you guys and it's nice."
In the hard-hit area around the village of Hostens, the thick smoke seen on Thursday gave way to blue skies and occasional clouds.
France has been buffeted this summer by a historic drought that has forced water use restrictions nationwide, as well as a series of heatwaves that experts say are being driven by climate change.
The blaze near Bordeaux erupted in July -- the driest month seen in France since 1961 -- destroying 14,000 hectares and forcing thousands of people to evacuate before it was contained.
But it continued to smoulder in the tinder-dry pine forests and peat-rich soil.
Officials suspect arson may have played a role in the latest flare-up, which has burned 7,400 hectares (18,000 acres) since Tuesday.
- 'Forced to adapt' -
Fires in 2022 have ravaged an area three times the annual average over the past 10 years, with blazes also active in the Alpine Jura, Isere and Ardeche regions this week.
The Ardeche fire "is far from under control, because the site is very difficult to reach", said Jean Jaussaud, a local emergency services commander.
European Copernicus satellite data showed more carbon dioxide greenhouse gas -- over one million tonnes -- had been released from 2022's forest fires in France than in any summer since records began in 2003.
On Friday, 19 departments were still at the highest orange heat alert level set by weather authority Meteo-France.
This year's summer resembled predictions for "an average summer in the middle of this century" under pessimistic climate change scenarios, Meteo-France expert Jean-Michel Soubeyroux told AFP.
Temperatures were "unprecedented", said wine-grower Maurin Berenger from the southwestern Lot department.
Paris-based pensioner Caroline Dubois, 72, said she was "leaving all the windows in the apartment open so there's a breeze".
Weather forecasts suggest France's third heatwave this year will be broken by storms over the weekend.
burs/tgb-jh/har
K.Brown--BTB