French PM heckled over wildfire response as blazes continue across Europe
The prime minister announced on Monday €12m worth of aid to French regions that had been worst affected by the fires.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu faced heckling during a visit to Le Porge, a region in southwestern France severely impacted by recent wildfires. About 200 residents gathered at the town hall, where 183 homes had burned down. One resident's group claimed the prime minister didn't want to meet them, citing riot police blocking their access.
Lecornu's office says there's nothing to hide about the fire operations. The PM announced €12m in aid for Gironde and Landes regions. The EU also provided assistance to Belgium and Spain, where wildfires continue to cause deaths and evacuations. Lecornu mentioned that €10m will go to Gironde and €2m to Landes, enabling local authorities to launch recovery projects.
Local residents intend to file complaints for transparency and justice, alleging they were blocked from meeting with the prime minister. Meanwhile, other parts of Europe are grappling with separate wildfires, including Belgium and Greece. In Belgium, the fire in Hautes Fagnes has spread despite favorable winds and rainfall, with assistance from multiple countries.
In Greece, 41 forest fires broke out in 24 hours, claiming two lives and forcing hundreds to evacuate. Spain's Aragón region reported a firefighter fatality in the Peñas de Riglos fire, with Spain sending 104 firefighters to assist. Croatia arrested four suspects for starting fires in Zadar, describing it as one of the worst blazes in the country's history.
The European Commission noted that western Europe experienced its hottest June-to-July period on record.
Written by urgent.news from BBC World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
