France wildfires force another 55,000 evacuations in Gironde as fire spreads south of Bordeaux
France has ordered another 55,000 people to leave their homes and holiday accommodation as wildfires intensified in the Gironde region south of Bordeaux. The latest evacuations affected six towns, adding to a fast-moving emergency that has already disrupted transport and forced large-scale displacement. Officials said the fire was behaving erratically and was proving difficult to contain.
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Captain Nicolas Braz, one of the leaders of the firefighting operation, said the blaze had created its own winds and whirlwinds, describing it as erratic and unmanageable. The fire has been driven by dry vegetation and brisk winds, according to the supplied report. About 60 km of the A63 motorway, which links south-west France with Spain, has been closed as a result.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said in an interview published on Sunday that it would take a long time to bring the fire under control. He added that until it is contained there would be no return for evacuated residents and tourists. President Emmanuel Macron said France would rebuild and that his government would be there for as long as needed.
The latest evacuations come as France faces one of its most serious wildfire periods in decades. The supplied report says 42,000 hectares have burnt in the country in this fire alone, making it one of the largest forest fires since the Second World War. It also says about 98,000 hectares have burnt across France since the start of the year, underlining the scale of the wider fire season.
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The emergency has also drawn in military support. France has mobilised its military to help with the response, and extra army reinforcements have been sent to clear brush and create fire breaks. That reflects the strain on firefighting resources as the blaze continues to spread and authorities try to protect homes, roads and tourist areas.
The Gironde fire is part of a wider wave of wildfires across Europe, with the supplied report saying more than 330,000 people have been evacuated in France and Spain over the past week. In Spain, fires have continued to spread around Madrid and Ávila, while authorities in Valencia confirmed the death of a man in a fire. What remains unclear is how quickly conditions will improve, with high temperatures and low humidity expected to continue, and whether the Gironde blaze can be contained before further evacuations are needed.
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