Disasters & Incidents
More evacuations ordered as fires burn near Bordeaux
Officials in southwest France's Gironde region ordered another 55,000 people to evacuate on the outskirts of Bordeaux as firefighters battled nearby fires. Firefighters had earlier told AFP that the blaze had worsened again and had become capable of creating its own winds.
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Firefighters were battling nearby fires on the outskirts of Bordeaux.
Firefighters earlier told AFP that the blaze had worsened again and was capable of creating its own winds.
Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 22:05:18 UTC.
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French officials ordered 55,000 additional fire evacuations near Bordeaux, according to the prefecture.
Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 21:55:09 UTC.
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Thousands of tourists and local residents were being housed at Bordeaux's exhibition centre after fleeing wildfires in southwest France.
The shelter had camp beds, food supplies, masks on request, a first-aid station and a doctor on site.
Most evacuees came from the Arcachon Bay area and towns near Bordeaux threatened by fire, and many arrived during the night.
The source gives accounts from evacuees including Nuala Kelly, Olivier Stewart and Frederic Tavitian.
Several buses were chartered to transport elderly people, and pet food and cat litter were made available for evacuees' animals.
Local residents in Bordeaux were offering help, including accommodation.
Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 12:23:50 UTC.
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French authorities ordered evacuations of towns near Bordeaux on Saturday as a precaution.
Wildfires were moving toward the Bordeaux area.
The traffic information website Bison Fute urged drivers to avoid roads in the Gironde department to keep access clear for emergency services.
Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 02:13:47 UTC.
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France's interior ministry said more than 140,000 people had been evacuated since Wednesday.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the fires were convective fires and described the situation as unprecedented for France.
The ministry said 110,000 people were evacuated in Gironde and 31,000 in Landes.
Gironde officials said 100 buildings had been destroyed and 19,000 hectares had burned.
Nunez said authorities would do everything to protect Bordeaux.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 20:03:55 UTC.
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Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu will chair a government crisis meeting on Saturday.
The disaster has forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.
The fire is threatening villages and approaching Bordeaux, according to Macron's aides.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 19:49:32 UTC.
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French President Emmanuel Macron ordered the military to mobilise as the wildfire tore through southwest France, aides said.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 19:35:37 UTC.
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An official said the wildfire in southwest France was moving toward Bordeaux.
An official described the wildfire as being on an unprecedented scale.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 19:28:33 UTC.
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Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said 53 homes had been destroyed.
Nunez said the tolls were counted since Wednesday.
The fires in the Gironde and Landes regions became broad emergencies on Wednesday.
Nunez described the situation as completely unprecedented and said France had not seen this type of fire on this scale before.
Nunez said two major fires were raging near Bordeaux.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 19:22:27 UTC.
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Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said about 110,000 people had been evacuated.
Nunez said the fires had scorched 14,000 hectares.
Nunez pledged that authorities would do everything to protect Bordeaux.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 18:35:24 UTC.
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More than 100,000 people have been evacuated in France's fire-hit southwest, according to a minister.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 18:27:16 UTC.
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The 8,000 additional evacuations came on top of 23,000 people evacuated since the previous day.
Landes prefect Gilles Clavreul said there were no civilian casualties for the moment.
Clavreul said five firefighters had injuries or irritations, none of them serious.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 16:43:31 UTC.
Source
AFP news report published on .