French emergency services reported that crews managed to keep a significant wildfire in the Landes area west of Bordeaux under control overnight, following intensive operations over the past week. The prefect of the Gironde department, Sophie Brocas, said in a post on X at 0400 GMT on Wednesday that "the night was quiet; the fire remains under control this morning, with several flare-ups quickly brought under control during the night."
The wildfire has ravaged 42,000 hectares (103,784 acres) of mainly pine forest in the tourist-frequented region, a loss attributed to an extended period of dryness brought on by a sequence of heatwaves. Fire crews, supported by teams from other European countries, have been engaged for a week to contain the blaze.
Officials warned that weather conditions are expected to become more challenging within hours. Meteo-France forecast peak local temperatures of 42 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, while Brocas said dry winds will shift from the southwest in the morning to the west in the afternoon - a pattern likely to fan any remaining flames.
Authorities described the current wildfire season in France as unprecedented, noting that the total area burned this year has already exceeded the previous record set in 2022. The Landes landscape, dominated by pine plantations, becomes highly flammable when desiccated, increasing the difficulty of suppression efforts.
The human impact has been substantial. About 220,000 people - a mix of holidaymakers and local residents - were evacuated as the fire threatened the Cap Ferret peninsula on the Atlantic coast, an area reachable by a single road. Hundreds of evacuees were transported on specially chartered ferries to ensure safe egress. The blaze also destroyed a few hundred houses.
As containment work progressed, several thousand people living to the south of the main fire area were permitted to return after firefighters extinguished a smaller blaze near the town of Biscarrosse. In the outskirts of Bordeaux, several companies temporarily halted operations as flames approached to within 15 kms (nine miles) of the metropolitan area.
The situation remains delicate: while the main fire was reported under control overnight, officials and emergency services are preparing for a period of higher temperatures and shifting dry winds that could reverse recent gains. Continued firefighting presence and monitoring are expected throughout the day as crews respond to any new hotspots.
Summary
After a week of firefighting, crews have contained a large wildfire in the Landes region west of Bordeaux that has burned 42,000 hectares and prompted the evacuation of around 220,000 people. With a new heatwave predicted to bring temperatures up to 42 degrees Celsius and changing dry winds, authorities caution that the fire risk will increase again.
Key points
- Firefighters, aided by European teams, reported control of a major blaze that has destroyed 42,000 hectares of mainly pine forest.
- About 220,000 people, including holidaymakers and locals, were evacuated as the fire threatened the Cap Ferret peninsula; some evacuees used chartered ferries.
- Economic activity was affected locally, with several companies near Bordeaux closing preventively as flames reached within 15 kms of the city.
Risks and uncertainties
- Escalating temperatures - Meteo-France forecasts peaks of 42 degrees Celsius - and shifting dry winds could reignite controlled areas and produce new flare-ups. This risk affects emergency services, local infrastructure, and insurance and real estate sectors.
- Access limitations to the Cap Ferret peninsula, which is reachable by a single road, pose logistical challenges for evacuation and relief operations; transportation and tourism sectors are directly impacted.
- Ongoing dryness in pine-dominated landscapes increases flammability and complicates containment efforts, with implications for forestry and local economies dependent on timber and tourism.