Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will visit the Gironde department in southwestern France on Monday to launch reconstruction efforts, after the area fell victim to the most destructive wildfires seen in 70 years. The mayor of Le Porge – one of the villages worst affected – told RFI he's hoping for government support to rebuild its economy, which relies heavily on forest exploitation.
The Gironde fires, which began in July, destroyed more than 40,000 hectares – an area four times the size of Paris – and forced the evacuation of more than 220,000 people. Although the blaze is now under control, it remains under close watch.
