- Europe is facing an extremely hot summer, fueling wildfires from the Atlantic coast to the eastern Mediterranean; the United Kingdom, Germany, Greece and Turkey all battled blazes on Thursday.
- The wildfire initially forced 224,000 people to flee, and authorities allowed 144,000 evacuees to return this week.
- The blazes burned 42,000 hectares (about 162 square miles) of pine forest and resort areas in Bordeaux’s Gironde region on the Atlantic coast and had not spread for several days.
- Lower temperatures and higher humidity overnight were helping ease pressures on fire crews, who focused on forests and undergrowth along dunes of fine sand.
- French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told RTL radio the fire was “stabilized, but not totally stopped,” with hot spots remaining, and fire crews remained mobilized.
- Firefighters in southwestern France were working Friday to control the last hot spots of a massive wildfire that has burned an area four times the size of Paris and forced thousands out of their homes.
- Nunez said in a social media post that Ukraine was to dispatch 70 civil security personnel and 10 vehicles in the coming days to help strengthen the deployment.
Firefighters in southwestern France are working tirelessly to control the last hot spots of a massive wildfire that has devastated the Gironde region, burning 42,000 hectares (about 162 square miles) of forest and resort areas. The fire initially forced 224,000 people to evacuate, but authorities have since allowed 144,000 evacuees to return home this week.349
Conditions have improved due to lower temperatures and higher humidity, which have eased pressures on beleaguered fire squads. However, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warned, “It’s stabilized, but not totally stopped,” indicating that hot spots remain a concern. Fire crews continue to focus on the forests and undergrowth along the dunes of fine sand, ensuring that the fire does not reignite.78
The wildfire is part of a broader trend, as Europe faces an extremely hot summer, with wildfires raging from the Atlantic coast to the eastern Mediterranean. Countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, and Turkey have also battled blazes this week. In a show of solidarity, Ukraine is dispatching 70 civil security personnel and 10 vehicles to assist in firefighting efforts in France.1210
As the situation develops, firefighters remain mobilized, working diligently to prevent further damage and protect communities from the ongoing threat of wildfires.
“Nunez said on social media that Ukraine is to dispatch 70 civil security personnel and 10 vehicles in the coming days to reinforce crews. The blazes have burned 42,000 hectares in Bordeaux’s Gironde region, and 144,000 of the 224,000 evacuees have been allowed to return this week.”
