Wildfire Burns 1,300 Hectares in France as Heatwave Hits 83 Regions
Listen to the story
A large wildfire is burning in the Landes region of France, and it has already burned through 1,300 hectares of land, according to reports on August 14.
The fire comes at the same time as a serious heatwave across the country. Very hot and dry weather makes fires spread more quickly and become harder to control.
Because of the danger from both the heat and the fires, 83 French départements have been placed under orange alert. This is the second-highest warning level in France, and it tells people to take extra care.
To help fight the fire in the Landes, firefighters used a powerful helicopter from Australia. Large helicopters like this can carry huge amounts of water and drop it directly onto the flames, which makes them very useful for big wildfires.
Experts have also explained that the fire in the Landes is what is called a convective fire. In this type of fire, very hot air rises quickly into the sky above the flames. This rising hot air, combined with smoke, can create huge clouds known as pyrocumulonimbus.
These clouds can make wildfires even more unpredictable and dangerous, because they can create strong winds and even lightning, which may start new fires elsewhere.
Firefighters across the affected regions continue to work to bring the Landes fire under control, while authorities urge residents in the alert zones to stay alert and follow safety advice during the heatwave.
Vocabulary8 words
- wildfire
- a large fire that burns in forests or fields
- hectares
- units used to measure the size of land
- heatwave
- a period of unusually hot weather
- départements
- administrative regions in France
- orange alert
- an official warning showing a high level of danger
- helicopter
- an aircraft with spinning blades used for many tasks, including firefighting
- convective fire
- a fire that creates strong upward movement of hot air
- pyrocumulonimbus
- a large storm cloud formed by heat and smoke from a fire
Quiz
Answer key
1. 1,300 hectares 2. It can carry large amounts of water to fight fires 3. Convective fires and rising hot air
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A large _____ is burning in the Landes region of France, and it has already burned through 1,300 _____ of land.
The fire comes at the same time as a serious _____ across the country.
83 French _____ have been placed under _____ alert.
Firefighters used a powerful _____ from Australia to help fight the fire.
The fire in the Landes is what is called a _____ fire.
This rising hot air, combined with smoke, can create huge clouds known as _____.
Authorities urge residents in the alert zones to stay _____ and follow safety advice.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think heatwaves make wildfires more dangerous?
- Have you ever experienced or seen a wildfire in your country? What happened?
- Do you think using international resources, like an Australian helicopter, is important for fighting wildfires? Why?
- What can governments and communities do to prepare better for heatwaves and wildfires?