Wildfire approaches Bordeaux: city not yet affected by evacuation

Bordeaux – 26 July 2026: The major fire in Gironde continued to advance towards the greater Bordeaux area on Sunday evening. According to sources close to the authorities, the fire front was at times only around 15 kilometres from the metropolis. An evacuation of the entire city area had not been ordered by the evening. However, due to the wind, ongoing drought and heavy smoke, the situation remained difficult to predict.

The fire broke out on Wednesday, 22 July, near Saumos, north of the Bassin d’Arcachon. According to official figures, it had affected around 42,000 hectares of vegetation by Sunday morning. The Gironde prefecture had precautionarily moved numerous people to safety from several municipalities in recent days. Areas affected included Marcheprime, Cestas, Mios, Biganos and Le Barp.

Reports of an imminent evacuation of Bordeaux were initially not confirmed. According to consistent media reports, Mayor Thomas Cazenave said that an evacuation of the city was not on the agenda. This did not mean the all-clear for the surrounding area: evacuation orders or special precautionary measures remained in force in some outlying areas and in municipalities west and southwest of Bordeaux. On the orders of the prefecture, the hotel area at Bordeaux Airport was also evacuated.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called on the public to take a realistic view of the danger in light of the developments. Many people in the region had to prepare for road closures, smoke and disrupted transport connections. Firefighters, the gendarmerie and municipal services were working to secure inhabited areas and contain the further spread of the fire. The Interior Ministry had already described the operation as exceptionally extensive on 24 July and sent national reinforcements to Gironde.

For those affected, the precautionary evacuation often meant staying with relatives at short notice or going to a reception centre. Authorities urged people to follow instructions immediately, not enter closed-off areas and keep access routes clear for firefighting and emergency vehicles. By Sunday evening, no final, comprehensive assessment of damaged homes, injuries or the cause of the fire was available.

The operation is taking place in an area where extensive pine forests, dry soil and wind favour the spread of flames. According to the Interior Ministry, more than 50,000 hectares in France had already been affected by fires since the start of the year. In Gironde, emergency services most recently focused on protecting inhabited zones, key transport routes and critical infrastructure along the advancing fire front.