France crossed an unprecedented threshold even before the end of July. Since January 1, 2026, 69,473 hectares have been ravaged by fires, compared to 66,337 hectares for the whole of 2022. The previous record of the series of measurements which began in 2006 has therefore been exceeded by 3,136 hectares, while the summer period is still far from over.
The 2022 annual record was broken in seven months
Until now, 2022 held the record for the worst fires of the last two decades. The massive blazes in the Gironde region, particularly in La Teste-de-Buch, Landiras, and Hostens, brought the annual total to over 66,000 hectares burned. Four years later, this total has already been surpassed in just seven months. The 2026 figure also represents more than double the approximately 30,000 hectares destroyed throughout France in 2025. The increase was particularly rapid during the month of July. By mid-July, the total was just over 42,000 hectares. A few days later, it reached around 46,000 hectares, before surging to nearly 70,000 hectares due to new fires in the Southwest.
Gironde and Landes hit again
The fires raging in the Gironde and Landes regions have significantly worsened the national fire toll. Around the Arcachon Basin, tens of thousands of residents and vacationers have had to evacuate their homes, campsites, and other accommodations as the flames advanced. The fire, which started near Saumos, spread towards the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula, burning over 10,000 hectares. Several villages were evacuated, and ground and air resources from various French regions and several European countries were mobilized. Another fire near Biscarrosse led to further evacuations in the Landes. These fires added to those already recorded since the beginning of the year in the Var, Brittany, southern France, and even the Paris region. The Fontainebleau forest, in particular, experienced a fire of exceptional magnitude for this area in July.
A regularly updated satellite count
The 69,473 hectares correspond to the areas mapped by the European EFFIS system using satellite imagery. This system primarily counts fires of approximately 30 hectares or more that affect at least part of a wooded area. The boundaries are redrawn as more precise images become available. The total can therefore continue to rise, even after a fire has been brought under control. Small untouched areas within a burned perimeter are removed when the images allow them to be identified. This calculation method explains the difference with the figures released by the French authorities. On Saturday, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez mentioned approximately 50,000 hectares burned and 32 fires still burning. The national and satellite data are not based on the same criteria, thresholds, or update frequency.
The danger remains extreme in parts of the country
The situation remains particularly tense in southwestern France. European forecasts place part of this region at "very extreme" risk of wildfires, with high-risk areas extending westward and centrally into France. High temperatures, lack of rain, dry vegetation, and shifting winds are complicating the work of firefighters. More than 1,000 military personnel are also to be deployed to support emergency services in the hardest-hit areas. The 2022 record has now been surpassed, but the 2026 figures remain provisional. August and September are typically among the months most prone to forest fires. Each new fire and each reassessment of areas already affected by flames could further increase a total that has already reached an unprecedented level since the start of European satellite monitoring.
