Firefighters have contained the largest French wildfire in almost eight decades after the blaze ripped through roughly 16,000 hectares of parched forest and scrubland in the Aude region, south-west of Narbonne. The fire, which started on 6 August, advanced at a pace authorities compared to “one-and-a-half times Paris”, fuelled by drought-stricken vegetation and winds. One woman was found dead in her home, at least 18 people were injured and three were briefly reported missing. Nearly 2,000 firefighters, backed by Canadair water-bombers, Dash air tankers, military helicopters and drone teams, fought the flames for three days before declaring the perimeter under control on 8 August. Crews remain on site to douse hotspots amid temperatures that have climbed to 43 °C, and local officials warned the smouldering ground could reignite during the continuing heatwave. The fire destroyed or damaged 36 houses and more than 50 vehicles; about 600 residents in Durban-Corbières lost electricity and drinking-water supplies. Investigators are examining whether human activity on a roadside sparked the blaze. The Aude emergency comes as much of southern Europe endures extreme heat. In neighbouring Spain, at least 1,400 people were evacuated from villages in Castile-and-León after wildfires driven by strong winds threatened homes and the UNESCO-listed Las Médulas landscape. Meteorological agencies expect the hot, dry conditions to persist, keeping the region on high alert for further outbreaks.