French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said his country is battling the most severe situation since World War II, as firefighters battle the fierce wildfires blazing in its Gironde region.
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According to BBC, the region has involvement of about 2,500 firefighters, 1,500 military personnel, and 1,200 police officers and gendarmes in tackling the flames.
The megafire has burned 42,000 hectares in Gironde since July 22, with roughly 2,20,000 people evacuated across France by Sunday, as per France 24.
The fire which is currently reported to be stabilised was reportedly heading towards French city of Bordeaux, whose greater metropolitan region houses nearly 8,50,000 people.
However, the situation still remains in the hands of nature, wildfires are reportedly being fuelled by "pyrocumulonimbus" or fire clouds, produced by the wildfires themselves.
The massive amount of heat generated by wildfires makes theair above the fire rise rapidly, bringing along smoke, ash and water vapour high into the atmosphere. The air cools down while rising, with the water vapour condensing into a cloud.
These violent winds suck up glowing pieces of burning wood or debris (embers) and blast them miles ahead or off to the sides. Most of the rain created inside a fire cloud evaporates before it hits the ground because the air near the fire is so hot.
The result produces "dry lightning" strikes that hit dry trees, grass, or roofs without any rain to put out the spark. A single fire cloud can launch dozens of lightning strikes, starting brand-new, separate fires miles away.
On Tuesday, France’s weather office issued alert for heatwaves in the Gironde and Landes regions, forecasting hot, dry weather, and no chances of rain. It also reported ocean breezes from the west on the coast, which could reignite the blaze.
