Overview
- The giant Gironde fire that burned about 42,000 hectares and destroyed roughly 180 homes in Le Porge was declared fixed, allowing phased returns and the reopening of some campings.
- In the Var the Gros Bessillon blaze is contained but not fixed, with about 1,000–1,500 firefighters and heavy aerial support still deployed because wind and heat could trigger reactivations.
- A new wildfire in the Drôme’s massif du Claps has grown to roughly 110–150 hectares, prompted preventive evacuations of the hamlet of Montlahuc and required dozens of Canadair drops and hundreds of firefighters.
- Authorities report more than 400 arrests linked to this season’s fires, demining teams in Gironde have recovered dozens of unexploded World War II shells, and large-scale recovery and safety work is under way.
- Fire services face rising strain: psychological support calls for firefighters have surged, unions warn of chronic capacity shortfalls, and officials plan extended demining, rebuilding and fundraising efforts.