BORDEAUX, France – A fast-moving wildfire in southwest France has forced more than 220,000 people to evacuate as firefighters from France and neighboring countries continue efforts to contain a blaze that has burned an area several times larger than the city of Paris.
The wildfire in the Gironde region near Bordeaux has become one of France’s largest civilian evacuation operations outside wartime, according to French authorities cited by The Associated Press. Emergency officials have ordered evacuations across dozens of communities as extreme heat, dry vegetation and shifting winds continue to fuel the fire.
The disaster underscores growing concerns across southern Europe, where recurring heat waves and prolonged drought have increased wildfire risks and placed mounting pressure on emergency services.
Mass Evacuations Continue Across Gironde
Regional authorities ordered the evacuation of two dozen towns and villages in Gironde, including communities directly threatened by the advancing fire and nearby areas considered at risk.
Among those forced to flee was Morgane Bonichot, a 40-year-old childcare worker from Saint-Jean-d’Illac, who received an emergency alert at 2:47 a.m. instructing residents to evacuate immediately.
Bonichot left with her 9-year-old daughter, their rabbit and their dog after neighbors helped transport the family when their car broke down.
They later arrived at a temporary shelter in Bordeaux, where authorities have provided beds, food, medical assistance and veterinary care for displaced residents and their pets.
“I just can’t put my animals through another journey,” Bonichot said, explaining that she would only return once officials declared it safe.
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Firefighters Expand Response as Blaze Grows
The wildfire has scorched an area estimated to be roughly four times the size of Paris, according to The Associated Press.
Firefighters continue using ground crews, helicopters and water-dropping aircraft to slow the fire’s advance through forests and populated areas.
Authorities briefly paused evacuations after fire activity eased on Monday, but renewed flare-ups prompted additional precautionary evacuations on Tuesday.
Another 4,000 people were ordered to leave campsites, holiday villages and vacation homes along the northern edge of the fire.
Elsewhere in southwest Europe, major wildfires in Spain have also displaced tens of thousands of people, bringing the combined number of evacuees across France and Spain to approximately 330,000.
Heat and Drought Intensify Wildfire Risk
French authorities said evacuated residents will not be permitted to return until the wildfire is fully contained.
Some residents have been allowed back to several suburbs west of Bordeaux after officials determined those areas were no longer under immediate threat, but many communities remain under evacuation orders.
Fire crews continue responding to flare-ups while aircraft drop water and fire retardant on active fire fronts. Smoke from the wildfire has been visible for many kilometers across the region.
The wildfire follows successive heat waves across Europe that have left forests and vegetation exceptionally dry, increasing the likelihood of rapidly spreading fires.
The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service has reported that Europe is warming more than twice as fast as the global average, with prolonged heat and drought contributing to increasingly severe wildfire seasons.
For thousands of displaced residents, the immediate priority remains returning home safely. For governments across Europe, the fires highlight the growing challenge of preparing for larger and more frequent wildfire emergencies.
This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.
