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WORLD NEWS Thursday 27 July 2017

Wildfires threaten French Riviera, inadequate aircraft cited

By CLAUDE PARIS region — out of dozens that
NADINE LESAGE started Wednesday.
BARRY HATTON But “the situation remains
Associated Press difficult, I must say it. Like
BORMES-LES-MIMOSAS, me, you feel the wind is
France (AP) — Backed by blowing,” the prime minis-
planes dropping water ter said. Further south of the
and fire retardant, more French mainland, flames
than 1,000 firefighters bat- ate through 2,000 hect-
tled wildfires Wednesday ares (4,950 acres) of for-
that billowed smoke into est on the northern end of
the sky over France’s south- the French Mediterranean
ern Cote d’Azur coast and island of Corsica, in what
forced the evacuation of was the largest blaze in
at least 12,000 people. France.
France’s prime minister, vis- Fires also were blazing
iting the area, predicted a across parts of bone-dry
grim day ahead. Portugal and Italy.
Large swaths of Mediter- Tourist Francoise Roparse,
ranean forest have been who was visiting the south
left bare and blackened of France, was among
after three days of fires. the evacuees awakened
About 250 trailer homes, a in the middle of the night
hangar, an atelier and sev- who found shelter in a sail- Sunbathers are being evacuated from the beach in Le Lavandou, French Riviera, as plumes of
eral vehicles were burned ing club near Bormes. smoke rise in the air from burning wildfires, Wednesday, July 26, 2017. French authorities ordered
in the blazes, but no one “First, it was a bit the pan- the evacuation of up to 12,000 people around a picturesque hilltop town in the southern Cote
has been injured so far, ic,” Roparse said. “We tried d’Azur region as fires hopscotched around the Mediterranean coast for a third day Wednesday.
(AP Photo/Claude Paris)
the prefect of the Var re- to gather all important
gion said. Residents and things ... Obviously, we for- shelters were filling up. on tourism. The town of along France’s Mediter-
tourists were evacuated got a lot.” The disaster, which hit at Bormes tweeted a call for ranean coast on Monday,
early Wednesday after a Dozens of people initially the height of the summer donations of towels for the forcing smaller, scattered
ferocious fire whipped by spent the night on a beach, season, challenged re- evacuees staying in the lo- evacuations as flames
strong Mistral winds spread but public spaces pressed gional governments with cal gymnasium. reached a corner of Saint-
from La Londe-Les-Maures into service as emergency economies that depend The wildfires began raging Tropez. q
to dense forests around
town of Bormes-Les-Mimo- Judge: Baby Gard will end life in hospice, not home
hilltop
the
picturesque
sas. About 60 people were
evacuated by boat from By CAROLINE SPIEZIO the hospital that has been “It is in Charlie’s best inter- the United States for ex-
nearby Cap Benat. Associated Press treating him until noon ests to be moved to a hos- perimental treatment. They
“There will be more fires LONDON (AP) — Critically Thursday to come to terms pice and for him at that gave up their fight on Mon-
tomorrow,” Prime Minis- ill baby Charlie Gard will on an end-of-life care plan point to be moved to a pal- day, acknowledging that
ter Edouard Philippe said. be transferred to a hospice for the infant’s final hours or liative care regime only,” the window of opportunity
He traveled to Bormes on and taken off life support days. the judge said as a medi- to help him had closed.
Wednesday night, flew unless his parents and a The baby suffers from a rare cal and legal battle that On Tuesday, they said they
over the devastated re- hospital agree on a plan genetic disease, mitochon- has drawn international at- hoped to bring their son,
gion and met with firefight- that could potentially keep drial depletion syndrome, tention nears a wrenching whose 1st birthday is next
ing personnel. Firefighting the child alive for a bit lon- which has caused brain conclusion. week, home to die. Francis
aircraft made more than ger, a British judge ruled damage and left him un- The parents, Connie Yates said Charlie’s mother and
500 drops of water or retar- Wednesday. able to breathe unaided. and Chris Gard, spent father now accept that
dant on Wednesday, Philli- High Court judge Nicholas Recent tests found Charlie months trying to persuade the only options for their
pe said, and only three fires Francis gave 11-month- has irreversible muscular Great Ormond Street Hos- son “are the hospital or the
remained active in the Var old Charlie’s parents and damage. pital to let Charlie go to hospice.”q