Key facts
- A wildfire in southwestern France has burned 42,000 hectares and is pushing emergency services to their limits.
- Approximately 198,000 people were allowed to return home from the Gironde region after the fire was contained within its perimeter.
- New fires in France's Var region and in Greece have forced thousands to evacuate.
- Record heat and drought conditions are contributing to the rapid spread and intensity of wildfires across Europe.
- Millions of animals are estimated to have been affected by the fires in France.
Firefighters in southwestern France managed to contain a massive wildfire that had consumed 42,000 hectares, allowing approximately 198,000 people to return to their homes. This development came as new blazes erupted elsewhere in France and Greece, forcing thousands more to flee.
The Gironde fire, west of Bordeaux, has burned 420 square kilometers of pine forest. While contained within its perimeter, it has not been declared 'fixed,' with active sectors and buried hot spots persisting. Authorities maintained the evacuation of the affluent Cap Ferret peninsula due to the risk of flare-ups.
In the Mediterranean Var region, a fire that had been declared fixed earlier in the week resurged, consuming an additional 1,250 hectares. Approximately 2,500 people remained displaced, and 1,300 firefighters were deployed to combat this resurgence.
Meanwhile, in Greece, hundreds of firefighters battled a wildfire near the resort of Porto Germeno, driven by gale-force winds. Homes were reported destroyed, and authorities issued further evacuation orders. The fire service reported fighting 73 blazes across the country on Friday.
Europe is experiencing its fastest warming trend, with rising temperatures and prolonged drought creating tinderbox conditions that allow fires to spread rapidly and burn with greater intensity. The impact of the fires in France extends beyond human displacement, with millions of animals estimated to have been affected.