After the wildfires in Gironde, distributing donations becomes a logistical task

Bordeaux – 01.08.2026: Following the severe wildfires in Gironde, volunteers and municipal authorities are beginning a complex second phase of relief efforts. According to Bordeaux Métropole, more than 10,000 tonnes of in-kind donations have been collected and delivered at the Bordeaux Exhibition Centre. Since emergency accommodation for evacuees ended on Friday evening, the halls have primarily served as a storage and logistics centre.

The donations range from non-perishable food, drinking water and hygiene products to clothing, furniture and household appliances. However, the large volume does not automatically make supplying people easier. All goods must be recorded, checked for usability, separated by category and assigned according to the needs of the affected municipalities. Food may only be distributed if it has not passed its expiry date. Bulky furniture and electrical appliances also require suitable transport and interim storage.

Bordeaux Métropole has therefore temporarily suspended its appeal for further in-kind donations. Capacity at the exhibition grounds is needed to process the deliveries already received. The first trucks transported aid supplies to rear bases of the fire service and to affected municipalities. Further deliveries are to be guided by reports from local authorities and aid organisations.

Distribution is not being carried out from a single central warehouse. Municipal social centres, relief associations and local administrations are handling distribution on site. This is intended to prevent some locations from receiving more goods than they need while specific supply gaps remain elsewhere. For businesses, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region has also set up a contact point to coordinate access to distribution platforms in Gironde.

According to the authorities, the acute evacuation phase has largely ended. On the night of 31 July, 36 people were still staying at the exhibition centre; they left the accommodation during the day. For returnees and people who were temporarily unable to return to their homes, 3,078 accommodation offers with a total of 8,277 beds were registered. When leaving, those affected received food and hygiene products for five days.

At the same time, the situation remained tense in parts of Gironde. Several municipalities had been accessible again since 28 July, but individual areas near an still-active fire hotspot remained closed. The A63 motorway was reopened in both directions on 30 July. According to the metropolitan authority, reviewing and sorting the collected aid supplies will take several more days.