Europe 1 with AFP 10:55 a.m., July 14, 2022

Since Tuesday, violent forest fires have been raging in Gironde.

Last assessment this Thursday: 3,700 hectares were consumed by the flames.

A few kilometers from Bordeaux, the battle is still raging between the firefighters and the fires.

The Gironde prefecture maintains its orange "heat wave" vigilance.

The two forest fires that have been raging since Tuesday in Gironde have burned some 3,700 hectares, including more than 2,000 in the town of Landiras, near Bordeaux, where the situation is "stabilized even if the fire is not yet under control", the prefecture announced on Thursday.

In this sector located about forty kilometers south of Bordeaux, 2,100 hectares of pines went up in smoke and 1,600 hectares burned in the forest of La Teste-de-Buch, in the Bassin d'Arcachon, very close to the famous dune du Pilat, exceptionally closed to the public.

Maintenance of orange vigilance "heat wave"

In La Teste, the situation is "still uncertain because of the difficulties of access" and 60 people were evacuated from a housing estate in Cazaux, a village in this very large town, said the prefecture.

During the night of Wednesday to Tuesday, some 6,000 people had been evacuated from campsites in the La Teste sector, where the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin went late Tuesday afternoon.

#FeuxDeForets#Gironde


- Landiras: burned area 2100ha.

Situation stabilized even if the fire is not yet under control.


- La Teste-de-Buch: 1600ha burnt.

Situation still uncertain because of the difficulties of access.

Preventive evacuation of a housing estate in Cazaux (60 people).

– Prefect of New Aquitaine and Gironde (@PrefAquitaine33) July 14, 2022

According to the firefighters, the fact that this used forest is planted on a dune cordon and is not maintained makes operations difficult, in addition to the changing wind and the heat.

These fires, which did not cause any casualties, were triggered at the start of the heat wave episode which has affected France since Monday, mainly in the west and south of the country.

The Gironde is kept in orange "heat wave" vigilance by Météo-France.

According to the prefecture of Gironde, the mercury could rise this Thursday to 38°C in the department, which has also been placed on orange alert "forest fire" since Tuesday ("high" level, i.e. 3 out of 5) "at due to weather conditions".

These fires are raging against the backdrop of a heat wave for the second time in a month.