Smoke from fires in the southwest reaches Aveyron and Corrèze

Rodez – 25 July 2026: Smoke from the severe forest fires in Gironde and Landes reached as far as Aveyron and Corrèze on Saturday. In several locations far from the fire area, residents reported the smell of fire and a milky haze in the sky. Authorities stressed that these observations do not automatically indicate a new local fire. The phenomenon was also reported from other parts of southwestern France early in the morning.

The Aveyron fire service recorded a very high number of calls from the western part of the department since early morning. Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Montbazens and Rieupeyroux were among the places mentioned. Emergency services checked the areas concerned but, according to this information, found no source of fire. They assume that the observed smoke plumes are related to the fires in the southwest.

The Corrèze prefecture also announced on Saturday that the odors observed there are attributed to the ongoing fires in the departments of Gironde and Landes. It urged the public not to call emergency numbers because of odor nuisance or a distant haze. Emergency numbers must remain free for visible flames or visible smoke in the immediate vicinity.

The situation at the source of the smoke remained tense. According to data published in the morning, more than 22,000 hectares had been affected in Gironde since the beginning of the week; more than 140,000 people had been moved to safety as a precaution. Seven other municipalities on the outskirts of Bordeaux received evacuation instructions. According to authorities, the fire had spread eastward from Saumos via Le Porge and Lège-Cap-Ferret toward the Bordeaux metropolitan area.

For people outside the immediate danger zone, the visibility of smoke primarily means that they should not mistake the situation for a local fire and should follow information from the relevant authorities. However, anyone who notices flames, dense smoke directly nearby, or an acute danger should call the emergency number immediately. Driving around to investigate potentially threatened forest areas is discouraged.

The spread across a large area shows that the effects of major vegetation fires can extend beyond the directly affected departments. For Aveyron and Corrèze, according to the available statements, there was no indication on Saturday of the reported local fire outbreaks. Emergency services are therefore focusing on quickly identifying actual emergencies and keeping their dispatch centers reachable for urgent requests for assistance. However, this does not mean that the overall forest fire situation is over.