The fire in the Ode region in southern France has so far engulfed around 12.000 hectares, which is more than the area of Paris.
Large fires are spreading across the south of France, many homes have been destroyed, thousands of people have been evacuated.
An elderly woman has died and another person is missing, authorities say.
A woman died in her home, and seven firefighters received medical treatment for smoke inhalation, local authorities said.
Two more civilians are in hospital, one of them in critical condition.
The fire broke out on August 5 in the village of La Ribot in the Ode region and has so far burned more than 13.000 hectares.
That area is larger than Paris and this fire is considered the largest this year in France.
More than 1.800 firefighters and 500 vehicles are participating in extinguishing the fire.
The villages of Lagrasse, Fabrezan, Tournisan, Costoges and Saint-Laurent de la Cabreris are the most affected.
The fire is spreading rapidly due to strong winds, drought and warm weather, officials said.
At least four houses burned in the village of Jonquière, Jacques Pirro, the head of the village, told Le Monde newspaper.
"It's dramatic. Everything is black, the trees are completely charred," he added.
The photos show burnt, charred cars and people who took refuge on beaches, a three-hour drive away, from which thick, dark clouds of smoke were still visible.
"This is a disaster of unprecedented proportions," Eric Brocardi, a spokesman for the fire department, told RTL radio.
At least 25 homes were destroyed and more than 2.500 households were left without electricity.
Authorities closed roads across the region and warned that it was too dangerous for residents to return home on Tuesday evening.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed support for firefighters and local officials, adding that all state resources are available to fight the fires.
He asked residents to follow the advice of firefighters and officials.
In recent years, this area has been increasingly exposed to fire danger due to reduced rainfall and the removal of vineyards, which previously slowed the spread of fires.
Although aircraft are also involved in extinguishing the fire, local officials expect that fighting the flames will be a "long-term operation" and will take "several days."
In the Ode region, the combination of lower rainfall rates, rising temperatures and the disappearance of vineyards has worsened the area's vulnerability to fire.
Scientists warn that the constant rise in temperatures and summer droughts are increasing the risk of fires in Mediterranean countries.
This summer, around 15.000 hectares and more than 9.000 separate fires have burned in France, according to the National Emergency Service.
The flames in the Ode region have already caused most of the damage.
BBC is in Serbian from now on and on YouTube, follow us HERE.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram i Viber. If you have a topic suggestion for us, please contact bbcnasrpskom@bbc.co.uk
- Fire leaves devastation: BBC in one of the burned villages in southern Serbia
- Fighting fires in Serbia, Montenegro and Greece
- Japan's biggest fire in decades, thousands evacuated
See more:
Download the app and follow the news
FOLLOW US ON
