Benjamin Peter (in Balizac), edited by Laura Laplaud 2:30 p.m., July 22, 2022, modified at 2:32 p.m., July 22, 2022

In Gironde, residents of several municipalities close to the fires have been authorized to return to their homes.

For others, it is still difficult, the situation being still dangerous.

In Balizac, which was evacuated earlier this week, the town hall is overwhelmed by calls from residents who want to return to their homes and who are sometimes at the end of their tether.

REPORTAGE

Around Landiras, 2,400 inhabitants of the communes of Cabanac and Vallagrains as well as several hamlets of the commune of Saint-Magne were authorized Thursday evening to return to their homes.

But for all the others, you still have to be patient.

In Balizac, which was evacuated earlier this week, the town hall is overwhelmed by calls from residents who want to return to their homes and who are sometimes at the end of their tether.

>> Find Europe midi in replay and podcast here

"It Doesn't Stop"

"It will not be immediately because they want to wait until the fire is really under control", answers the telephone, Cindy, the town clerk.

The inhabitants are calling, they too want to go home.

"It doesn't stop. They want to go home and they don't understand that it's not the town hall and even less the town hall secretary who decides", she annoys.

Residents who think that the situation has improved, "except not" supports Cindy.

"It's not and they're not very patient anymore so they're not very nice."

"We didn't yell at you"

"We didn't shout at you", specifies a resident who has just received a half-hour derogation to feed his cat.

A few minutes earlier, the tone rose on the phone with the secretary.

"It's just that I speak loudly," he adds.

"Come on, hurry up because the meter is ticking," interrupts the secretary.

>> READ ALSO -

 Fires in Gironde: these volunteers, craftsmen and farmers, who help firefighters

Some half-hour waivers are granted to retrieve belongings or feed animals.

For Mayor Nathalie Duluc, even if it is unpopular, we must remain cautious: "The last ten days have shown us that in two hours everything can change."

"They will understand later"

"The fire really needs to be fixed so that everyone is calm and that we don't start an evacuation again. We are all in a hurry. I live at the water tower, I too want to go back at home. But we will be careful and too bad, people will not be happy, but at least we will have done things well. I understand that people are annoyed, but they will understand afterwards, "she thinks.

At 1 p.m., the sub-prefect of Langon will organize a new meeting with the mayors of the evacuated municipalities to see if new returns are possible in the evening.