Gironde wildfires pick up as French region braces for new 40C heatwave - BBC

What the report says

BBC News reported that firefighters in south-west France were trying to contain renewed wildfire flare-ups in the Gironde region as another intense heatwave was expected to push local temperatures towards 40C from Wednesday. The fires have been burning in countryside between the Atlantic coast and Bordeaux, with about 2,000 firefighters deployed in Gironde, according to the national firefighters’ federation.

Regional prefect Sophie Brocas said 14 previously affected areas saw fresh outbreaks on Tuesday and warned the situation was not yet under control. Officials said Bordeaux itself was not currently threatened, although one blaze had come within about 15km of the city’s outskirts on Monday. Smoke has worsened air quality in the city, prompting health officials to urge people in affected areas to remain indoors.

Authorities ordered the evacuation of coastal campsites near Lacanau on Tuesday, adding about 4,000 tourists to wider evacuations. The BBC reported that more than 220,000 people had been evacuated around France in recent days and that an estimated 240 homes and houses had been destroyed. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 184 people had been arrested since 6 July in connection with fires, while a 23-year-old arrested in the Var region on suspicion of starting a fire could face up to 15 years in prison.

The Gironde fires are part of a broader European wildfire crisis during extreme summer heat. BBC News also noted serious fires in Spain and Portugal, where emergency services have been battling multiple fronts, though some evacuation orders in Spain have begun to ease.