LEGE-CAP FERRET, France (AP) — France sent a hulking military cargo plane to dump tonnes of flame retardants as it battled raging wildfires on Saturday and slashed the final stage of the Tour de France to redeploy security personnel to the blazes that forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.

Black smoke darkened the skies and crackling flames roared through pine trees in a forest in southwest France on Thursday as wildfires have forced more than 20,000 residents and…

Several firefighters have been killed as France, Spain and Italy all battle wildfires that have forced tens of thousands to evacuate a vacation hotspot.