After the major fire in Saumos: Prefecture warns of dubious offers of assistance

Saumos – 05.08.2026: Following the severe forest fire in northern Gironde, the Prefecture is warning about individuals offering affected residents paid assistance with compensation claims. Authorities have received several reports of such approaches, which they consider abusive and opportunistic.

The offers are reaching people in a particularly vulnerable situation. Some fear for their homes, vehicles, personal belongings or economic livelihood; others are only gradually returning to their daily lives after an evacuation. In this situation, it can easily appear that an insurance procedure can only be managed with an external service provider. The Prefecture therefore advises against hastily signing contracts or granting powers of attorney.

The fire had spread in the Saumos and Le Porge area since 22 July. According to official information, the emergency affected several municipalities, including Le Temple, Sainte-Helene, Lege-Cap-Ferret, Ares, Andernos-les-Bains and Marcheprime. Roads and cycle paths were temporarily closed. Authorities urged the public to avoid the area so that firefighters and emergency services could work without obstruction.

The warning is not directed at professional advice in general, but at providers who could seek to profit from the affected residents’ hardship. Before making a commitment, the company’s name and address, all costs, the exact scope of services, and cancellation and termination conditions should be provided in writing. Promises of rapid or particularly high payments are no substitute for reviewing the contract or consulting one’s own insurer.

According to the Ministry of the Environment, damage caused by forest fires is generally treated as fire damage. The benefits that actually apply depend on the individual insurance policy. Affected residents should therefore report damage to their insurer as quickly as possible, retain photographs, invoices and other supporting documents, and document all communications. Official recognition as a natural disaster follows a separate procedure and is not automatically a requirement for settling fire damage claims.

The Prefecture recommends first contacting one’s own insurer or broker and only then, if necessary, seeking independent advice. Documents do not have to be handed over immediately at the doorstep, by telephone or online. Policy numbers, copies of identification documents or bank details should only be disclosed once identity, the assignment and the costs have been clearly established.

The major fire placed a strain on the region for days. At the end of July, the Ministry of the Interior reported 30,000 evacuees in the areas south of the Arcachon Basin. The current warning is intended to prevent affected residents from coming under additional financial or psychological pressure while settling their claims.