Macron Calls Crisis Meeting as Wildfires Close to Bordeaux and 40C Heat Looms
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jul 27
Macron Calls Crisis Meeting as Wildfires Close to Bordeaux and 40C Heat Looms
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jul 27
Summary
A French crisis cabinet meeting is set for Monday as a fast-moving wildfire burns about 15 km from Bordeaux, a city of roughly 850,000, with officials still not ordering a full evacuation.
40C temperatures forecast from Tuesday are expected to worsen firefighting conditions in Gironde, where authorities say the blaze is moving erratically and has generated a rare fire thunderstorm.
42,000 hectares have burned in southwest France, 98,000 hectares nationwide this year, and more than 220,000 people have already been evacuated from the region around Bordeaux.
Across France and Spain, more than 330,000 people have been evacuated in the past week; Spain is also battling a new Valencia-area fire that has forced about 15,000 residents to flee.
In July 2026, a historic drought and repeated heatwaves left southwestern France dangerously dry, setting the stage for a massive wildfire near Cap Ferret that quickly advanced toward Bordeaux. The fire’s intensity created its own storm clouds, sparking new blazes and destroying hundreds of homes. Thick smoke blanketed Bordeaux, causing severe air pollution and health risks, especially for vulnerable groups. Over 220,000 people were evacuated, with some fleeing by sea. The crisis disrupted major events like the Tour de France, devastated forests and soil, and released huge amounts of carbon. As wildfires also raged in Spain, the European Union mobilized emergency support across borders.