Firefighters try to control a wildfire near Marcheprime, amid worsening drought conditions following a heatwave and water shortages across much of France, July 26, 2026. [Photo/Agencies]
Thousands of firefighters, security workers, and military personnel supported by international aerial support have been deployed in the southwest of France as the authorities battle to gain control of devastating wildfires that have caused thousands of people to be evacuated from their homes.
The blazes began at the start of last week, around the town of Saumos in the Gironde region, around 40 kilometers from the city of Bordeaux.
From there, fires spread toward the popular beach resort of Cap-Ferret later in the week, and during the weekend fires moved east, toward Bordeaux, with more than 220,000 people evacuated from five towns around the city as a precaution.
It is estimated that the wildfires have burned through around 42,000 hectares of land, making it one of the most damaging fire seasons the region has seen in generations, since 1949, when 50,000 hectares were consumed by flames.
