Heatwave threatens containment of Gironde wildfire as evacuations mount

Firefighters in Gironde braced for 40C temperatures on Wednesday as a wildfire that had burned about 42,000 hectares remained stabilized, though not yet contained. More than 220,000 people had already been evacuated across the region after the blaze started in the Saumos area.

The fire had pushed to within about 15 km, or nine miles, of Bordeaux, and authorities ordered about 4,000 more people to leave Atlantic coast tourist sites as the heat returned. The Bordeaux mayor said the city was preparing for “all eventualities.”

France was bracing for its fourth major heatwave of the year, with temperatures forecast to reach 40C. Hot, dry weather made the firefighting environment harsher, while drought, water shortages and strong winds complicated containment efforts in Gironde and the neighbouring Landes area. Authorities also said the wildfire’s intensity had been driven in part by “fire storms.”

Emmanuel Macron held a crisis cabinet meeting over the fires and later visited the fire zone. He urged firefighters to “stay strong” as the government faced the dual challenge of protecting evacuated communities and keeping the fire from regaining momentum if the wind shifted or the temperature climbed further.

The blaze had already forced tens of thousands of people out of villages and tourist areas west of Bordeaux, including parts of the Lacanau and Cap Ferret peninsula areas.