Final Stage of Tour de France Shortened Due to Wildfires

The organizers of the Tour de France have shortened Sunday's final 21st stage to Paris from 133 km to 89 km. The reason is the redeployment of security forces to fight widespread forest fires in southwestern France.

According to a joint statement by the organizers, the Paris police and the ministry of the interior, security forces were redeployed to the areas affected by the fires to help protect residents.

Slovenian Tadej Pogacar entered the weekend's final stage with an almost insurmountable lead on his way to a third consecutive title.

Meanwhile, the fires forced the evacuation of approximately 197,000 people from southwestern France, including the tourist area of Cap Ferret. President Emmanuel Macron also deployed the army to assist the exhausted firefighters.

Fueled by record-breaking heat, the flames came within about 30 km of Bordeaux on Saturday.

Evacuated residents and tourists describe dramatic escapes from the fire, ash falling from the sky and fears that such disasters will become increasingly frequent as a result of climate change.

(Reuters, est)