1 Dead, Thousands Evacuated as Firefighters Battle Raging Wildfire: 'A Catastrophe of Unprecedented Scale'

The fire has burned more than 13,000 hectares (50 square miles) of land since it began near the village of La Ribaute in the Aude region on Tuesday, Aug. 5, according to the BBC and The Guardian. As of Wednesday, Aug. 6, the blaze is considered France’s biggest wildfire in almost 80 years, according to Reuters.