In southwestern France, wildfires are raging in the Gironde department, with a rare phenomenon known as “fire cumulonimbus” appearing in the sky above the blaze, resembling a scene often seen during volcanic eruptions. The weather system generated by the wildfire is currently only about 15 kilometers away from the historic city of Bordeaux.
According to a report by the British newspaper The Independent, Eric Brocardi, a spokesperson for the French National Firefighters Federation, said on Monday that “this smoke has created its own weather system, igniting anything in its path… This is unprecedented in France.”
Such a phenomenon typically occurs during volcanic eruptions, as fire cumulonimbus clouds can trigger storms and lightning on their own.
In the past week, wildfires in Europe have forced approximately 300,000 people to flee their homes.
Authorities in the Gironde department of France have warned that it may take “several weeks or even months” to extinguish the raging wildfires near Bordeaux.
Colonel David Annotel, a spokesperson for the French National Firefighters Federation, told the French news radio Franceinfo, “The real challenge lies in endurance.”
He mentioned that the Landiras wildfire in 2022 was not completely extinguished until 2025, indicating the prolonged efforts required for such incidents.
“We are facing a similar situation now. In the coming weeks or even months, rescue personnel from across France will need to rotate in and out,” Annotel said.
Thomas Cazenave, the Mayor of Bordeaux, issued a warning on Sunday that the wildfires were just 15 kilometers away from the city.
Bordeaux is the sixth-largest metropolitan area in France, with a total population of over 1.2 million residents in the city and its surroundings.
As reported by The Independent, residents of Bordeaux described the situation under the influence of the wildfires on Monday as “I smell like barbecue all over.”
Ira Szmuk, a resident living in the city center, said, “The smell is so strong, it’s almost impossible to breathe.”
“In the afternoon and evening on Sunday, the wind blew all the smoke into the city, so we couldn’t go out. We finished everything we needed to do in the morning and then locked ourselves in the house,” she said.
Officials from the Bordeaux City Council told Sky News that they are studying various contingency plans, including evacuating residents from the entire area if necessary.