France's Inferno: When Military Might Isn't Enough Images of an A400M military cargo plane swooping low over parched woodlands, its payload of orange colored retardant bursting forth in a desperate bid to contain raging wildfires in southwest France, are stark and foreboding.
Hundreds of thousands have already been forced to flee the blazes. The use of such a massive aircraft in firefighting efforts raises questions about the adequacy of conventional approaches to tackling these infernos.
On one hand, it demonstrates France's willingness to think outside the box and mobilize its resources in the face of catastrophe. However, it also highlights the need for more effective disaster preparedness.