A wildfire was advancing through the Gironde region of southwestern France on Wednesday, destroying homes and forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents, some of whom had clambered onto rooftops as the flames got closer.
More than 1,000 firefighters backed by water-bombing aircraft were fighting the fire that has razed more than 6,000 hectares and is still burning out of control.
"Everyone in the village climbed onto their rooftops to see what was happening - within ten minutes a little twist of smoke became enormous," the 30-year-old told Reuters by telephone.Firefighters said more evacuations were likely. Even so, some Hostens residents were reluctant to abandon their homes.Flames engulf trees during a fire in Hostens, as wildfires continue to spread in the Gironde region of southwestern France, in this screen grab taken from a handout video August 9, 2022.
The Gironde wildfire is one of many that have broken out across Europe this summer, triggered by heatwaves that have baked the continent and brought record temperatures to some places.
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