Amsterdam Island: Half of French territory in Indian Ocean burnt by wildfire

A wildfire has burnt through 55% of Amsterdam Island, a French foreign territory in the Indian Ocean.

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Located about halfway between Australia, Antarctica and Madagascar, the island has seen burning across more than 55% of its 54 sq km area.

Amsterdam Island doesn't have a permanent population but researchers have been stationed there since the 1980s.

Since the fires broke out, 31 people have been evacuated to Réunion Island, closer to Madagascar. And last week French authorities launched a mission to control the wildfires and assess their impact.

The most recent blaze was discovered on15 January by a scientist researching the atmosphere.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cew598rvxn7o

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