France's deadly wildfire is rapidly spreading and causing 'hellish' devastation while tourists are being evacuated in Spain as the country announces one of its highest monthly tallies of heat deaths.
The fast-moving wildfire in southern France that broke out on Tuesday burned through some 13,000 hectares of land - a swathe as large as Paris - and continues to remain 'very active' on Wednesday, according to officials.
One woman died in her home, nine others were injured, and at least one person was reported missing as about 2,000 firefighters and several water bomber aircraft battled the blaze that broke out in the village of Ribaute in the Aude region, a rural, wooded area that is home to wineries.
'It's a scene of sadness and desolation,' said Jacques Piraux, mayor of the village of Jonquières, where all residents have been evacuated.
'It looks like a lunar landscape, everything is burned. More than half or three-quarters of the village has burned down.'
