'Feels like an apocalypse' - Irish woman on French fires

An Irish woman, living in Bordeaux, said the wildfires in France feel "like an apocalypse'".

Aisling Fee, who is from Leitrim, said the fires are really upsetting and stressful, adding that they are keeping an eye on the news all the time.

Firefighters are battling massive wildfires threatening the French city. The blaze, which broke out last week near the Atlantic coast, is only 15 kilometres from entry points to the main metropolitan area.

Speaking on RTÉ's Today with David McCullagh, Ms Fee said: "Where we live, it hasn’t been evacuated yet, but we are keeping an eye on the phones the whole time."

Ms Fee said the smoke is a lot better now where they are, but over the weekend it made their eyes burn and gave them a sore throat.

"Even in the middle of the day you wouldn’t know what time it is, the sky is so dark, grey and red, it feels like an apocalypse, it is really strange," she said.

She said she had planned to leave next week as the school she works in finishes up for the summer.

"Hopefully I can get through this week without having to be evacuated," she said.

However, she said she has some items prepared just in case.

"They can't control where the smoke is going, and it is getting closer and closer to the city."

The Leitrim woman said people are trying to avoid going outside at all and a lot of businesses are closed, while tourists are being told not to come.

"It is really sad because this is the high season … This is the time they should be making their money … obviously campsites, all being evacuated," she said.

Ms Fee said for evacuations, people are receiving a message on their phone from the city council, regardless of being signed up to the notifications or not.

She said she feels reassured as she lives in a densely populated area near the city and airport and that there are not as many trees around.

"They can’t control where the smoke is going, and it is getting closer and closer to the city. To be honest, I don’t think where we live will burn down, but having to leave due to smoke is probably a very likely thing," she said.

Ms Fee said people are leaving their homes not knowing if they will ever be able to come back.

"Even one of our friends, from the GAA club, his area has been completely burnt," she said.

Read more: 'There's ash everywhere,' says Irish woman in Bordeaux