PARIS, July 31. /TASS/. Millions of animals have been affected by a severe wildfire in the Gironde department in southwest France, Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, head of the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO), told the RMC radio station.

Evaluating the full impact on biodiversity will take time, but "it is already known that millions of animals have suffered," he stated. The LPO noted that deer, roe deer, wild boars, and birds most likely managed to escape. However, many fled to unfamiliar territories and could fall victim to predators. Some animals suffered severe burns, and shelters and rehabilitation centers are currently nursing them back to health, Bougrain-Dubourg added.

"Those who cannot run have a more dire fate: amphibians, reptiles, hedgehogs, badgers, and foxes that take shelter in burrows and fall victim to carbon monoxide poisoning," he said.

Wildfires in Europe, particularly in Spain and France, have reached record scales this year. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez specified that wildfires have burned 117,000 hectares of forest in France since the start of the year. Despite the measures taken, "the risk of wildfires remains extremely high," Nunez added.