Wildfire in Gironde: 4,000 people evacuated in Lacanau

Lacanau – 28 July 2026: Around 4,000 people were precautionarily evacuated from campsites, holiday villages and leisure parks in Lacanau on Tuesday due to the risk that the major wildfire in Gironde could flare up again. Those affected are mainly holidaymakers in the coastal municipality. Authorities urged people to avoid unnecessary travel so that access roads and emergency routes remain clear for emergency services.

The fire, which has been raging north of the Bassin d’Arcachon since 22 July, remained stabilized after a quiet night. However, that does not mean it has been extinguished. Smoldering hotspots can persist in burned vegetation and reignite flames when winds pick up. According to reports in the live ticker, the fire was around three kilometers from the seaside resort of Lacanau on Tuesday. Firefighters are therefore trying to secure the fire perimeter and establish protective lines to prevent further spread.

The evacuation was triggered by the expected deterioration in weather conditions on Tuesday afternoon. Météo-France forecast maximum temperatures of 36 to 37 degrees Celsius across large parts of southwestern France. Heat, parched ground and wind create conditions in which vegetation fires can spread quickly or reignite in areas thought to be secure. Tuesday was therefore considered a critical transition for emergency crews after a comparatively quiet night.

The firefighting operation, which has been under way for days, remains a major deployment. According to the Gironde department, up to 3,000 firefighters were involved at the height of the crisis. Police and gendarmerie are securing evacuated areas, managing traffic and supporting the evacuations. The aim is to protect the public and prevent obstruction of firefighting and rescue vehicles.

The state has also strengthened aerial firefighting operations. According to the Interior Ministry, a military A400M transport aircraft, experimentally equipped with a system for dropping firefighting agents, has already been deployed in Gironde. The air fleet is supplemented by firefighting helicopters and other state and civilian aircraft.

The fire is part of a series of severe vegetation fires in France in July 2026. On 24 July, the Interior Ministry reported more than 116,000 hectares burned nationwide since the beginning of the year. In Gironde, the flames had already prompted several precautionary evacuations, including on the Cap Ferret peninsula and in municipalities near the Bassin d’Arcachon.

For Lacanau, the evacuation comes during the peak tourist season. The prefecture initially kept the affected holiday resorts closed. A return can only be decided once wind, temperature and conditions along the secured fire perimeter allow it.