Aircraft have been dispatched to combat forest fires of "exceptional scale" near Paris in France, reports UNN citing the BBC.
Details
Two firefighting aircraft were delivered to the Paris region to combat a large forest fire south of the French capital.
The fire in the Fontainebleau forest, which officials describe as "dangerous" and of "exceptional scale," partially closed the country's main north-south highway, disrupting traffic during the first major summer weekend.
Early Monday, officials said the fire had engulfed 800 hectares and was still spreading in the forest, approximately 60 km southeast of Paris.
The Paris region is suffering from its third heatwave this year, as several European countries have broken temperature records this summer.
According to Eric Brocardi of the national federation of firefighters of France, this was the first time firefighting aircraft were sent from the usually drier and hotter south of the country to combat fires in the Paris region.
Two firefighting helicopters and a surveillance aircraft were also deployed, he added, reports AFP. "The goal is to save lives and property," he is quoted as saying.
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