‘The battle isn’t over’ as worst wildfire to hit France in 75 years continues to burn

‘The battle isn’t over’ as worst wildfire to hit France in 75 years continues to burn

The blaze has burned through an area bigger than Paris

A rescuer from the Securite Civile next to the wildfire near Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, in the south of France earlier this week. Photo: AP

Firefighters have been battling the blaze since it broke out on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

A massive wildfire that has scorched through 16,000 hectares (about 40,000 acres) of forest and villages in southern France since Tuesday was spreading more slowly, but still not under control, officials said yesterday.

France’s biggest wildfire in nearly eight decades has killed a woman who officials said had disregarded evacuation orders. Dozens of houses have been destroyed, forcing about 2,000 residents and holida