Firefighters are working to contain wildfires burning near Bordeaux, with tens of thousands evacuated from the surrounding area.
On Sunday, Mayor Thomas Cazenave noted that the fire lies roughly 15 km (9 mi) from Bordeaux’s outskirts and 25–30 km (15–19 mi) from the city centre, while playing down the likelihood of an evacuation of Bordeaux itself.
Overnight into Sunday, approximately 55,000 residents were evacuated from southern Gironde villages, an area renowned for its vineyards.
Over the past week, wildfires have swept across Europe, chiefly affecting France and Spain, where over 330,000 people have been evacuated.
France has suffered the most, with 42,000 hectares burned—ranking among the country’s largest forest blazes since World War II. Since the year began, roughly 98,000 hectares have been consumed nationwide.
Altogether, more than 220,000 people have been evacuated from southwestern France.
Captain Nicolas Braz, a leader of the firefighting effort, remarked that the blaze had generated “its own winds—complete with whirlwinds,” describing it as erratic and unmanageable.
Interior Minister Laurent Núñez stated on Sunday that conditions remain “very unfavourable,” with the fire moving erratically toward the Bordeaux metropolitan area.
In Gironde, the response includes 2,500 firefighters—among them a Swiss contingent—1,500 military personnel, and nearly 1,200 police and gendarmes conducting evacuations, rescues, and security operations.
Dry foliage and strong winds are driving the fire’s spread, prompting the closure of 60 km (37 mi) of the A63 motorway toward Spain.
On Sunday afternoon, Bordeaux Airport’s departure and arrival boards indicated delays for all flights beginning at 17:15.
Twenty‑eight EasyJet flights were delayed, many without revised times, and five were cancelled, including services to the UK.
Bordeaux Airport informed BBC News that air‑traffic‑control restrictions were imposed to aid emergency‑service operations, affecting all commercial flights.
The airport noted that it remains uncertain how long the delays will persist.
The final stage of the Tour de France, held in Paris on Sunday, was reduced from 133 km to 89 km (82 mi to 55 mi) to free security personnel for firefighting duties.
President Emmanuel Macron pledged that France would rebuild and affirmed that his government would remain engaged for as long as necessary.
