Drone footage on Friday (August 8) showed the extent of the destruction of France's biggest wildfire in almost eight decades, with trees blackened, houses and cars charred and wide parcels of forest ground covered in ash.

The massive wildfire that went through 16,000 hectares (61.7 sq miles) of forest and villages in southern France since Tuesday (August 5) has been contained but is not yet under control, local authorities said on Thursday (August 7).

The blaze, the largest since 1949, has killed a woman whom officials said had disregarded evacuation orders, and caused 18 injuries, including 16 firefighters. It destroyed 36 houses, damaged 20 others, and forced some 2,000 residents and holidaymakers to flee the area.

At the height of the crisis, approximately 5,000 households lost power, and as of Thursday evening, around 1,500 homes were still without electricity, local authorities said.

Firefighters will remain deployed in the area in the coming days to secure the site and prevent flare-ups, authorities said in a statement.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Drone views show destruction in aftermath of French wildfire

VIDEO SHOWS: DRONE VIEWS OF BURNT TREES AND LAND, DAMAGED HOUSES AND CARS, DAMAGED VINEYARDS, FIRE TRUCKS DRIVING BY

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: FONTJONCOUSE, FRANCE (AUGUST 8, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all) (MUTE)

1. VARIOUS OF BURNT TREES IN FOREST

2. SMOKE RISING FROM BURNT FOREST GROUND

3. BURNT TREES AND GROUND

JONQUIERES, FRANCE (AUGUST 8, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all) (MUTE)

4. VARIOUS OF BURNT HOUSE

5. BURNT HOUSE, BURNT FIELD NEARBY

COSTOUGE, FRANCE (AUGUST 8, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all) (MUTE)

6. BURNT DEBRIS AND CAR

7. BURNT DEBRIS AND CARAVAN

8. BURNT GREENHOUSE

9. BURNT DEBRIS AND LAND NEAR HOUSE

10. SWIMMING POOL NEAR BURNT LAND

JONQUIERES, FRANCE (AUGUST 8, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all) (MUTE)

11. VARIOUS OF FIRE TRUCKS DRIVING BY

12. BURNT LAND

13. BURNT TREES IN FIELD

14. BURNT LAND BESIDE PARTIALLY DAMAGED GRAPEVINES

FONTJONCOUSE, FRANCE (AUGUST 8, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all) (MUTE)

15. DAMAGED GRAPEVINES

16. BURNT LAND AND PARTIALLY DAMAGED VINEYARD