- Firefighters are currently battling to keep blazes away from Bordeaux, as the fire has destroyed 42,000 hectares of land around the Arcachon Basin and is threatening the outskirts of the Bordeaux metropolitan area.
- Jerome Steffe, mayor of Cestas, stated, “This is a fire of a size never seen before,” highlighting the unprecedented nature of the situation.
- Temperatures in Bordeaux are forecasted to rise to 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) later this week, increasing the risk of further wildfires.
- In July, high temperatures in the Aquitaine region have averaged 32.2 degrees Celsius, which is 7.3C above the normal high between 1961 and 1990.
Wildfires in France have prompted the evacuation of 220,000 residents, particularly around Bordeaux, where the flames have consumed 42,000 hectares of land. Mayor Jerome Steffe described the situation as unprecedented, highlighting the severity of the fire that has engulfed the Arcachon Basin.12
The Gironde prefecture confirmed that evacuations began on July 22, with the fire threatening the outskirts of the Bordeaux metropolitan area. Temperatures in the region are forecasted to reach 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) later this week, raising concerns about the fire's spread.3
In addition to the evacuations in France, neighboring Spain has also seen over 75,000 people evacuated, with another 30,000 ordered to shelter in place. The situation has prompted President Emmanuel Macron's government to convene a cabinet meeting to address the ongoing crisis.
According to the Reuters Climate Monitor, average temperatures in the Aquitaine region have soared to 32.2 degrees Celsius in July, which is 7.3 degrees above the normal high for this time of year, further complicating firefighting efforts.4
“The wildfires have destroyed 42,000 hectares around the Arcachon Basin, prompting the evacuation of 220,000 people since July 22. With temperatures in Bordeaux expected to rise to 37 degrees Celsius later this week, the risk of further wildfires remains high.”
