The blaze began on Tuesday and has swept across the department of Aude, killing one person and destroying 36 homes. It's the largest fire to hit the south of France in decades.

The blaze, not far from the border with Spain and the Mediterranean Sea, has spread unusually rapidly, fanned by strong winds and very dry vegetation, following months of drought in the area ...

Moving, tragic, surprising, inspiring, terrifying, shocking... This is a selection of images from our planet, over the past ...