Firefighters in France are working around the clock to contain the raging wildfires in the Gironde region, as a scorching 40C heatwave hits the southwest of the country. The prefecture has ordered evacuations of all coastal campsites near Lacanau, and over 4,000 tourists were told to leave the area.
The fires have destroyed an estimated 240 homes and houses, and the smoke has thickened the air in Bordeaux where residents are wearing masks and restaurants are shutting down. Health Minister Stéphanie Rist urged people to stay indoors and monitor air quality.
Emergency services have deployed 2,000 firefighters in Gironde. Firefighter Eric Brocardi, spokesman for the national firefighters’ federation, described the fight as a “David against Goliath” battle, and noted that four colleagues had died in recent weeks across France.
Open data from the interior ministry show 184 arrests made since 6 July, including a 23‑year‑old man charged with arson in the Var region. National disaster agencies warn that the combination of heat, drought and wind will make the blaze hard to control.
The tourism sector in the Bordeaux area is already suffering: hotels have closed for the weekend, and a local wine estate said the rain last Sunday helped, but the overall tourist numbers will remain low for the rest of the summer.
A resident of Cap Ferret stressed that rural areas are the most at risk, noting that the loss of forest cover is a disaster that “has not happened in Bordeaux before”.
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