Beachgoers in France watched on as smoke from raging wildfires turned skies an apocalyptic orange. Emmanuel Macron has described the wildfire crisis as the most severe the country has faced since World War 2. On Tuesday (28 July) The Independent reporter James C. Reynolds spoke to local volunteers in Lacanau, just over 50km away from Bordeaux. They have been working tirelessly, from helping firefighters put sand down to stop the fire spreading, to feeding animals whose homes have been destroyed. Footage shared with The Independent shows people gathering on the sand in Lacanau last week, watching clouds of smoke fill the air in the distance.