Fire At Europe's Biggest Sand Dune In France Amid Record Heatwave
NDTV
Europe heatwave: This year, the forests are ablaze, sending up thick clouds of smoke that block the sun. Around 6,500 hectares of forest near the sand dune has been burned.
In a usual July on Europe's biggest sand dune, holidaymakers clamber to its peak to admire the panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean beyond. This year, its heights are deserted, shrouded in smoke, with fire service planes buzzing overhead.
The Dune de Pilat is a famous attraction on France's west coast, with its sands rising abruptly out of thick pine forests that shade bustling camp sites and caravan parks in the summer months.
This year, the forests are ablaze, sending up thick clouds of smoke that blot out the sun as they drift over the ocean or towards the city of Bordeaux, 60 kilometres (36 miles) to the north east.
Around 6,500 hectares of forest have burned so far near the dune -- an area 12 km long and 7.0 km wide -- with another 12,800 hectares lost to a separate and bigger fire further inland to the east.
