In brief
Tragic loss of two firefighters ignites a spotlight on summer's unprecedented wildfires near Bordeaux airport. In a blaze traced back to a brush fire, the incident underscores the toll of Europe's heat wave. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed the deaths and promised a visit to the scene. With over 11,000 fires logged this year, France remains at the forefront of wildfire risk.
Tragic news from south‑west France: two firefighters lost their lives while battling a huge blaze just outside Bordeaux‑Mérignac airport.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed the deaths in a short statement and said the fire began as a brush‑fire that rapidly spread to the airport’s parking lot.
The incident comes amid a record‑breaking season of wildfires across Europe, with France reporting more than 11,000 fires so far this year and over 42,000 hectares burned. Heatwaves have pushed temperatures twice as fast as the global average, sparking fierce blazes in Spain, Italy and the UK as well.
Nuñez pledged to visit the Gironde department soon to oversee the firefighting operations, and flights into Bordeaux have been delayed while crews work to contain the blaze.
