Bordeaux Cares for Evacuated Nursing Home Residents in an Exhibition Hall

Bordeaux – 25/07/2026: A medical reception point has been set up in a short time in Hall 3 of the Parc des Expositions. Care workers and other professionals are looking after elderly people who had to leave their nursing homes because of the wildfires in Gironde. For many, the evacuation means a stressful journey, unfamiliar surroundings and uncertainty about when they can return to a regular daily routine.

The unit is intended for residents of facilities in the evacuated municipalities. Upon arrival, medications, care needs and health limitations must be recorded. At the same time, staff coordinate beds, accompanying persons and available places. The stay in Bordeaux is intended only as a temporary arrangement.

Those affected are then to be distributed among other nursing homes in the region. This requires close coordination: facilities must report their capacity, suitable transport must be available, and personal and medical records must be carried along. For people with dementia, limited mobility or regular treatment needs, every move can cause additional strain. Care by professionals is intended to prevent any interruption in support during this transition period.

The reception center at Bordeaux-Lac is also open to other people who had to leave their homes, holiday accommodation or municipalities as a precaution. The city and metropolitan authority had already set up the exhibition hall as a gathering point for evacuees. It provides rest areas, food and information on the next steps for accommodation.

The evacuations were prompted by a wildfire that has been burning in the Saumos area since 22 July 2026. Its spread prompted authorities to take extensive precautionary measures. According to the Gironde prefecture, several municipalities and districts in the greater Bordeaux area were evacuated. Smoke and the proximity of the fire increased pressure on emergency planning; particularly vulnerable people were to be moved to protected accommodation as quickly as possible.

For people in need of care, a safe place to sleep alone is not enough. They need familiar medication, help with meals and mobility, and accessible contacts for relatives. There are also assistive devices and information about existing medical conditions. The teams in the hall must match these needs with available capacity under time pressure.

Bordeaux Métropole said that the smoke had meanwhile reached parts of the metropolitan area as well. Special precautions apply to people over 65 and to those with heart and respiratory conditions or asthma. The medical unit therefore combines temporary accommodation with the continuous care that many evacuees depend on during relocation.