Large Wildfires Rage in Gironde as Thousands Are Evacuated

Overview

• A fast‑moving blaze that began near Saumos has burned several thousand hectares north of the Arcachon basin and prompted precautionary evacuations of about 12,000 to 20,000 residents and tourists since Wednesday.
• A separate fire that started in the Var at Pontevès on Tuesday has burned roughly 2,400–2,500 hectares and was described as largely contained on Thursday with hundreds of evacuees allowed to return.
• Hundreds to more than a thousand firefighters are fighting the blazes with heavy aerial support including Canadairs, Dash and Air Tractor planes, three EU water‑bombers and a French plan to adapt an A400M transport for large‑volume drops by the end of July.
• Local officials say early inquiries point to accidental ignitions — a brush‑clearing machine in Gironde and a dried field in the Var — and the Bordeaux public prosecutor has signaled tougher prosecutions for negligent fires such as discarded cigarettes.
• The 2026 season is unusually severe, with about 40,000–44,000 hectares burned so far and recent firefighter deaths and fatigue raising concerns about capacity, especially with hot, windy forecasts that could drive new flare‑ups.