Wildfires rage across wine-growing southwestern France, arson suspected

Firefighters take positions as smoke rises from a forest fire near Louchats, as wildfires continue to spread in the Gironde region of southwestern France, July 18, 2022. Philippe Lopez/Pool via REUTERS

PARIS (Reuters) - Wildfires raged across the Gironde winegrowing area of southwestern France on Tuesday, where a man has been taken into custody suspected of arson, authorities said.

The fires, fanned by scorching heat and strong winds, have spread across 19,300 hectares (about 75 sq miles) in the countryside surrounding Bordeaux since July 12, with a total of 34,000 people forced to evacuate their homes.