The megafire that has been ravaging the Gironde region since last Tuesday remained "generally stable" on Sunday night into Monday, but the return of temperatures up to 40°C on Tuesday is worrying emergency services. Emmanuel Macron an interministerial crisis cell was convened this Monday morning at the Ministry of the Interior.
The Gironde prefecture reported a night without any "major developments to report," with security and rescue forces remaining "fully mobilized" on the ground. This relative lull does not dispel concerns: the return of intense heat expected as early as Tuesday, with highs potentially reaching 40°C, risks considerably complicating the work of firefighters.
Emmanuel Macron chaired an interministerial crisis meeting at 10 a.m. on Monday dedicated to the wildfires affecting several departments in southern France. The two previous meetings had been led by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu. The Élysée Palace justified this direct intervention by citing "this moment of high tension for the emergency services deployed throughout the country, and particularly in the Gironde department."
On Sunday evening on France 2, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez painted a grim picture: 115,000 hectares ravaged by flames in France since the beginning of the year, fires in the Gironde region still out of control and described as "extremely dangerous," a situation deemed "very unfavorable." "Every day, we have 30 to 40 new fires," he specified.
The human and material toll continues to rise. According to the latest figures released Saturday evening by the Prefect of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Sophie Brocas, 42,000 hectares have burned in the Gironde department since the fire broke out, which authorities have described as being of "unprecedented severity." No civilian casualties have been reported, but 84 firefighters have been injured. Nearly 220,000 people have been evacuated as a precaution in 23 municipalities.
Twelve reception centers remain open in nine municipalities. Between 5,000 and 6,000 people have found refuge at the Bordeaux Exhibition Center, which has been transformed into a vast reception camp. In the neighboring Lot-et-Garonne department, 1,500 beds have been set up at the Agen Exhibition Center. The city of Toulouse will begin welcoming residents of nursing homes evacuated from the Bordeaux suburbs starting Monday, announced Mayor Jean-Luc Moudenc.
The prefect warned that evacuated residents would not be able to return home until the fire was contained. She also ruled out any resumption of work on Monday for businesses in the affected municipalities.
On the economic front, Minister Roland Lescure announced that insurers will cover the costs of rehousing evacuees. The mayor of Bordeaux, Thomas Cazenave, called on the government to "quickly establish an economic crisis unit" to assess the impact on local businesses, particularly in tourism, hospitality, and restaurants.
The situation remains tense elsewhere in the country. In the Var department, three clusters of infection remain active, and another "high-risk day" is expected with rising temperatures and the mistral wind. In the Landes department, approximately 8,000 residents of Biscarrosse have been able to return to their homes in safe areas.
The plumes of smoke, carried by westerly winds, are causing a fine particulate pollution episode far beyond the affected area. Four departments—Gironde, Landes, Dordogne, and Lot-et-Garonne—have already exceeded alert thresholds. Smoke odors have even been reported as far away as the Lyon metropolitan area.
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