A massive and "unprecedented" wildfire is currently tearing through a rural, wooded region of southwestern France near the Spanish border, according to a report from DW. The blaze, which has been described by French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou as a "catastrophe," has already scorched 16,000 hectares, an area that authorities say is the largest to be burnt in a single fire in nearly 80 years.

The fire, which broke out on Tuesday afternoon in the village of Ribaute in the Aude region, has claimed one life, with an elderly woman dying in her home. Thirteen other people, including nine firefighters, have been injured. One person is currently in critical condition with severe burns, and at least one person is missing.

More than 2,100 firefighters, supported by 90 firefighting planes and 40 helicopters, are battling the intense flames in the Corbieres hills. Beginning Thursday, several dozen soldiers and three army helicopters are also expected to join the effort. However, officials warn that the fire will be difficult to contain due to "unfavorable weather conditions," including high temperatures and strong winds.

The intense blaze has forced the evacuation of several campsites and at least one village, with the mayor of Jonquieres describing the aftermath as a "lunar landscape" where "everything is burned." The inferno has also led to the closure of more than a dozen roads, although the A9 motorway, a major route for traffic to and from southern Spain, has since reopened.

The European Union Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, has offered assistance to help France bring the fire under control. Prime Minister Bayrou linked the scale of the disaster to global warming and drought, highlighting the ongoing threat of extreme weather conditions.