• Two firefighters tragically died while battling a fire near Bordeaux Airport in south-western France, with the cause of the fire under investigation.
• French President Emmanuel Macron expressed condolences to the families of the deceased firefighters, as flight operations at Bordeaux Airport were partially disrupted due to the blaze.
• The Gironde region, where Bordeaux is located, is currently under the highest red-level wildfire warning, with emergency crews working to contain the fire as columns of smoke rose into the sky.

Two firefighters have died while responding to a fire near Bordeaux Airport in south-western France, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported on Tuesday.

Nuñez told parliament in Paris the two had died while fighting a fire in two buildings.

The fire service later reported that the two firefighters had been trapped inside their fire engine by the rapidly spreading flames.

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his condolences to their families.

According to the regional newspaper Sud Ouest, the fire initially broke out on land adjacent to the airport's long-term parking area.

An investigation into the cause of the fire has been launched, said Renaud Gaudeul, the public prosecutor in Bordeaux. It must also be established whether the fire was caused by negligence or was started deliberately.

The Gironde region, whose capital is Bordeaux, is currently under the highest red-level wildfire warning because of the extreme risk of forest fires.

Flight operations at Bordeaux Airport were partially disrupted, with departures temporarily suspended. Landings continued to be permitted, however, and an evening flight scheduled to depart for Munich was expected to operate as planned.

The local fire service was assisted by the airport's own firefighting unit, Sud Ouest reported. A firefighting aircraft was also deployed to help contain the blaze.

Huge columns of smoke, visible from the city of Bordeaux itself, rose into the sky as emergency crews worked to bring the fire under control.