Nearly 198,000 people have been allowed home after firefighters contained a major wildfire in southwestern France, following a possible record peacetime evacuation.
World
7:20pm
Clooney and his wife Amal said they had “no idea whether our beautiful home makes it through this terrible moment," as they fled their home in the southern commune of Brignoles.
Fri, Jul 31
Warming in the past 26 years has tripled the odds of the severe fire risk conditions in Spain and increased the chances in France by 40%, scientists at World Weather Attribution found.
The deaths on Crete brought a fatal new dimension to a wildfire emergency stretching from the Atlantic coast to the eastern Mediterranean.
Thu, Jul 30
Entire communities have been forced to flee, with President Emmanuel Macron describing the situation as France's most challenging wildfire crisis since World War Two.
Wed, Jul 29
"We're facing a completely unprecedented fire," Emmanuel Macron said, describing the situation as France's worst fire-related crisis since World War II.
Tue, Jul 28
With France about to enter its peak August tourist season, authorities are trying to keep vacationers away, banning holiday camps for children and for people with disabilities.
Mon, Jul 27
Authorities issued overnight evacuation orders for five more localities southwest of the historic city.
Firefighters and authorities in both European countries were caught off guard by the virulence of the fires, fueled by high temperatures and the long-term effects of climate change.
Sat, Jul 25
Local authorities said the fire in a forest near the town of Lège-Cap Ferret, southwest of Bordeaux, spread over more than 31sq kilometres.
Fri, Jul 24
A family of nine — including seven children — have escaped their burning home with seconds to spare after a second-hand e-bike exploded overnight.
Thu, Jul 23
All but one of the deceased in the Spanish wildfire were foreign nationals.
Thu, Jul 16
Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters at the scene that 27 people died and several have been taken to the hospital.
Mon, Jul 13
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesperson said crews received a 111 call at 4.15am about a single-storey duplex dwelling which was ablaze.
New Zealand
Local authorities said that most of the deceased were believed to be foreign nationals, and MFAT was "not aware of any New Zealanders caught up in the fire".
Sat, Jul 11
A fire at a shoe factory in the south-eastern Chinese city of Jinjiang has killed at least 28 people, according to the state news agency.
Fri, Jul 10
Hundreds of firefighters were battling blazes across Portugal, Spain and Greece, with parts of the continent scorched by heatwaves in recent weeks.
Mon, Jul 6
Solar-powered sensors across the Waitangi Endowment Forest can detect smoke signatures before a fire is visible.
Business
Wed, Jun 3
A shift manager told 1News the main fire was in a kindergarten area of the Salvation Army building on View Rd in Henderson.
Crime and Justice
Tue, Mar 17
Ruapehu Mayor Weston Kirton said the benefits of the funding would extend beyond the park boundaries.
Environment
Mon, Feb 23
Twenty-two New Zealand firefighters have been in Victoria for the past two weeks, following a call for aid from Australian officials.
Sat, Jan 31
More than 350,000ha has burned and more than 300 properties lost in the state after summer heatwaves spurred out-of-control bushfires.
Mon, Jan 12
Canterbury Fire and Emergency said its crews were kept busy yesterday fighting vegetation fires across the district, fanned by high temperatures and strong winds.
The third series of the Love Island spin-off was due to premiere in the UK on Monday, but its launch has now been delayed indefinitely.
Entertainment
Sun, Jan 11
Helicopters had been unable to assist firefighting efforts, with wind speeds in the area reaching up to 90km/h.
December 23, 2025
