France wildfires: 8,500 hectares burned, up to 29,000 evacuated, EU sends firefighting planes

Fires across southwestern France

Three large wildfires are burning in France, with the most severe in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. In Gironde, a fire that started on 22 July near the Arcachon basin has consumed 4,800 hectares. Some 800 firefighters are battling the blaze, which is believed to be accidental. In the neighbouring Landes department, a vehicle fire on 23 July near Biscarrosse spread rapidly through pine forest, burning 1,000 to 1,200 hectares. A third fire in the Var department, which began on 21 July, has scorched 2,700 hectares in the Gros Bessillon massif, damaging around 50 houses and destroying 25.

Cap Ferret peninsula under threat

The Gironde fire advanced toward the heavily touristed Cap Ferret peninsula overnight. Around 1am on 24 July, flames crossed a firebreak established by firefighters, prompting the prefecture to order the immediate evacuation of several villages: Claouey, Le Four, Les Jacquets, Petit Piquey and Grand Piquey. Nearly 20,000 people had already been evacuated preventively from the Lège-Cap-Ferret area since the fire began. Mayor Philippe de Gonneville described the situation as "worrying," with temperatures above 30°C and sustained winds. One firefighter was injured by an explosion, likely from a gas cylinder.

Landes fire described as 'apocalyptic'

The Biscarrosse fire forced the evacuation of between 5,000 and 9,000 residents, depending on the source. Colonel Romain Moutard, deputy director of the Landes fire service, told AFP the scene was "apocalyptic" and "Dantesque," with spot fires multiplying and creating "almost a separate fire each time." By midnight on 23 July, shifting winds kept conditions "very unfavourable."

Apocalyptic fire, a Dantesque situation, with spot fires multiplying, creating almost a separate fire each time.

EU sends aerial reinforcements

Facing what he called a situation "under very high tension," President Emmanuel Macron activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism overnight on 23–24 July. He announced on X that France would "quickly" receive two Croatian Canadair water bombers, two Portuguese Air Tractor planes, and two heavy-lift Black Hawk helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

We will be able to count quickly on the reinforcement of two Croatian Canadair, two Portuguese Air Tractor and two heavy Black Hawk helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

A record-breaking fire season

More than 12,500 fire starts have been recorded in France since January, and the area already burned exceeds that of 2022, when nearly 30,000 hectares were destroyed in the Landes de Gascogne and 50,000 people were evacuated. Satellite data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) analysed by AFP show that 2026 is the second-worst year for burned area in the EU in two decades of measurements, and the worst on record for France. Drought and exceptional heatwaves in June and July, linked to climate change, have left vegetation and soils extremely dry. Spain also declared a national emergency in the Madrid region and Ávila province as fires spread across southern Europe.