A severe wildfire in southwestern France has burned over 12,500 rai of pine forest near Arcachon Bay in the Gironde region, forcing the evacuation of nearly 12,000 residents and tourists. Meanwhile, authorities have mobilized more than 500 firefighters and firefighting aircraft to control the situation amid extremely hot and dry weather, which is accelerating the spread of the flames.
The wildfire in the Gironde province, around the pine forest near the village of Le Porge close to Arcachon Bay in southwestern France, has intensified sharply since midday Wednesday (22 July). Flames have risen several dozen meters high and spread rapidly through the dry pine forest, consuming over 2,000 hectares—approximately 12,500 rai.
The Gironde provincial office revealed that overnight, authorities urgently evacuated nearly 12,000 people, including more than 10,000 tourists from eight campsites and holiday centers along the coast, plus over 1,000 local residents from nearby areas. Nine municipalities, including Bordeaux, have opened temporary shelters to accommodate more than 2,500 evacuees.
Approximately 500 firefighters, 150 fire trucks, and a fleet of firefighting aircraft—including Canadair, Dash, and Air Tractor planes—have been working around the clock to control the blaze. They are using "controlled burns" to create firebreaks along the forest edges to cut off fuel and slow the fire’s advance, despite winds spreading flames in all directions.
However, the situation has come with significant losses. On Tuesday, two firefighters died while combating a wildfire near Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport. As a result, Laurent Nuñez, France's Minister of the Interior, visited the area to meet families of the deceased and express condolences. Meanwhile, firefighter unions have raised concerns about equipment shortages and exhaustion among personnel.
Marcial Saninetti, mayor of Le Porge and police officials, preliminarily believe the fire may have been caused by an accident involving clearing equipment or a lawnmower generating heat or sparks.
Consequently, Sophie Brocas, governor of Gironde, has raised the alert level to "red" and banned all forest work using internal combustion engines throughout the day. Additionally, the Bordeaux prosecutor’s office announced tougher criminal penalties for anyone who lights fires or discards cigarette butts in forest areas.
This wildfire incident follows three heatwaves in France since May, a clear impact of climate change, which has dried up many rivers and made forests more vulnerable to fires.
French government data shows that since early 2026, over 12,500 wildfires have occurred nationwide, burning more than 44,000 hectares—around 275,000 rai—surpassing the severe damage recorded in 2022.
. TV5MONDE/ AFP