Investigators suspect construction site as origin of fire near Bordeaux

Saumos – 27 July 2026: The devastating forest fire in Gironde may have been triggered by work on a high-voltage power line. According to initial findings, the fire’s point of origin can apparently be traced to a construction site near Saumos where work was being carried out shortly before the blaze broke out. This was announced by Bordeaux public prosecutor Renaud Gaudeul on Monday. However, the exact cause has not yet been established.

According to the public prosecutor’s office, the fire broke out around midday on Wednesday, 22 July. At that time, employees of a company were carrying out vegetation-clearing work near a high-voltage power line. According to the information available, this work was being conducted on behalf of grid operator Enedis. The Lesparre-Medoc gendarmerie is now investigating the sequence of events, questioning those involved and securing possible evidence at the fire’s point of origin.

According to Gaudeul, there is currently no indication that the workers involved breached the regulations in force at the time. This does not amount to a final exoneration. Among other matters, investigators must determine which equipment was used and whether flying sparks, hot machine parts or another technical cause may have ignited the dry vegetation. Weather, wind and ground conditions at the time are also likely to play a role in reconstructing events.

The criminal assessment depends on whether specific misconduct can be proven and whether there is a causal link between it and the outbreak or spread of the fire. The fact that the blaze may have started at a construction site does not in itself establish responsibility on the part of the workers, the contracted company or Enedis. The public prosecutor’s office has therefore warned against drawing premature conclusions.

In the affected region west of Bordeaux, the situation remained broadly stable overnight into Monday, according to the authorities. Firefighters, security forces and other emergency services nevertheless maintained their heightened state of readiness. Evacuations and traffic restrictions had previously disrupted the daily lives of numerous residents. Bordeaux Airport also issued updates on the current situation because of the fire.

The investigation is now likely to focus on the technical examination of the equipment used, statements from those involved and operational data. There is also the question of how the fire spread from its presumed point of origin. Prosecutor Gaudeul made clear that the findings so far merely support an initial working hypothesis; no final investigative result is yet available.