In southwest France, a massive forest wildfire, equivalent in size to four times that of Paris, posed a renewed risk of getting out of control on Wednesday, July 29th. Authorities mobilized over 2,200 firefighters and more than 20 firefighting planes to battle the blaze. With a sharp drop in local temperatures expected on Thursday and Friday, the fire is anticipated to stabilize and cease spreading rapidly. Meanwhile, Greece reported the tragic deaths of two firefighters during rescue operations.
French authorities stated that the wildfire in the Gironde region near Bordeaux showed signs of stabilization on Tuesday night but saw re-ignitions on Wednesday due to temperatures soaring close to 40 degrees Celsius and increasing winds. The French meteorological agency noted that Wednesday was the hottest and driest day of the week, with both mainland France and Corsica facing drought conditions, with soil moisture levels nearing historic lows set in 2022. The thick smoke from the wildfires worsened air quality in Gironde and Landes regions, with particulate matter levels rising significantly.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire may have started during routine grass cutting near high-voltage power lines, where sparks generated by the grass-cutting machine ignited the dry vegetation. Further investigation is still needed to determine the exact cause.
French Minister of the Interior Laurent Nuñez stated that the primary fires in Landes and Var regions have been brought under control, with Gironde still being the largest fire area in all of France.
Overall, the large wildfire in the Gironde region of southwest France is considered “stabilized” but not yet fully contained, with continued high risks. The fire had approached within about 15 kilometers of the Bordeaux metropolitan area, although Bordeaux itself does not currently have evacuation plans in place and is not directly threatened. The fire line is mainly in forest areas to the west and northwest of Bordeaux.
The wildfire has resulted in 126 firefighters being injured, with peak periods prompting approximately 220,000 people to be evacuated preventively, marking one of the largest evacuation operations in peacetime France. In recent days, tens of thousands of residents in suburban Bordeaux areas such as Le Haillan, Mérignac, and Eysines (approximately 57,000-60,000 people) have been allowed to return home, but authorities warn that the danger is not over, as the fire may continue to burn underground for months, becoming what is known as a “zombie fire”.
To prevent the fire from spreading to the coastal tourist areas along the Atlantic, around 4,000 visitors in coastal tourist areas such as Lacanau and Grand Crohot were ordered to evacuate on Tuesday.
Weather conditions are expected to become more favorable on Thursday, July 30th, with a drop in temperature due to marine airflow, aiding firefighting efforts.
In addition to firefighters’ ongoing efforts, local residents have volunteered to participate in fire prevention work. Some individuals are helping by watering forest roads, operating excavators to turn over burning soil to prevent the fire’s spread, while others are extracting lake water into large tanks for transportation to the fire scene and firefighting water reservoirs.
In Greece, wildfires in the Rethymno area of Crete continue to burn. The fire department reported that two firefighters died while carrying out firefighting missions, with approximately 125 firefighters, 4 helicopters, and 4 planes involved in the rescue efforts.
Authorities stated that the two individuals died heroically while “protecting people’s lives, property, and the natural environment,” but the cause of death is still under investigation.
In Spain, wildfires have slightly eased. With wildfires near Madrid and Ávila under control, tens of thousands of evacuated residents have begun returning home. However, around 10,000 people in the Castellón area are still unable to return home as the local fire is not yet fully contained, and Spain is facing its fourth heatwave of the summer.
(References from reports by the Associated Press and France24)