France's significant wildfire near Bordeaux, which had scorched an area four times the size of Paris and necessitated the evacuation of 224,000 people, remains contained but is still burning. Hundreds of kilometers away, a more recent fire in Provence has stopped advancing but is not yet fully contained.
Approximately 3,000 firefighters are deployed across both fire fronts, working to extinguish hot spots, establish firebreaks, and secure burned forest areas. The threat of rekindled flames persists due to high temperatures and wind.
The fire in the Gironde region consumed about 420 square kilometers (162 square miles) in 10 days before its advance was halted over the weekend. The Gironde prefecture stated that the fire is now "fixed," meaning it is contained within its perimeter, but not extinguished. The region remains under France's highest red forest-fire alert due to dry conditions and soaring temperatures, particularly in Bordeaux, with afternoon winds posing a risk.
Firefighting crews are being reinforced by additional personnel from Ukraine, Lithuania, and French Polynesia, who are expected to arrive Sunday and Monday. Scientists from World Weather Attribution calculated that human-caused climate change doubled the likelihood of extreme fire conditions for the French blazes. Europe is warming at twice the global average rate since the 1980s, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
The Gironde fire led to one of the largest peacetime evacuations in modern French history, with many residents still displaced or unable to return home.
In the southeastern Var department, nearly 1,500 firefighters are combating a separate fire that spread across approximately 18 square kilometers (seven square miles) in just over a day. This blaze, located in the Gros Bessillon hills, was stabilized Sunday morning, indicating no overnight expansion of its perimeter, but it has not been declared contained.
Firefighting aircraft are supporting ground crews in efforts to protect villages situated among the vineyards, olive groves, and wooded hills of the Green Provence region. About 2,500 people were evacuated as this fire threatened communities. This is the fourth major fire to affect the central Var since July 19. Previously, a smaller fire near Brignoles also led to the evacuation of approximately 700 residents, including actor George Clooney and his family, before it was brought under control.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has stated that while France's wildfires are generally under control, conditions remain highly volatile. He announced the appointment of a national coordinator to oversee reconstruction efforts in areas devastated by fires. Since the beginning of the year, over 1,170 square kilometers (452 square miles) of forest have burned across France.