The wildfire west of Bordeaux has burned about 42,000 hectares and destroyed roughly 240 homes, 183 of them in Le Porge. Residents say authorities prioritised the wealthy Cap Ferret peninsula, fueling anger that erupted when Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas was confronted at a community meeting. Officials cite the fire's unpredictable behaviour and point to limits on aerial support at night; a formal investigation is expected. Volunteers and firefighters continue relief efforts amid exhaustion and deep mistrust.
‘Sacrificed’ to Save Millionaires’ Peninsula? Le Porge Residents Fury After Devastating Wildfire
Le Porge, a village west of Bordeaux, lost 183 homes in the huge wildfire burning in France's southwest (JULIEN DE ROSA)
The wildfire that swept across the countryside west of Bordeaux has scorched some 42,000 hectares (103,000 acres) and destroyed roughly 240 homes — 183 of them in the village of Le Porge. As the smoke clears, anger has erupted among residents who say their community was effectively "sacrificed" while early firefighting efforts concentrated on the affluent Cap Ferret peninsula.
Confrontation and Claims of Neglect
Tensions boiled over at a packed community meeting when a man hurled abuse at Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas as she arrived to meet Le Porge’s mayor, Martial Zaninetti. Police and security escorted the prefect away as a helicopter passed overhead en route to another blaze.
"Now is not the time to play the blame game," Sophie Brocas told reporters after the confrontation, stressing the fire's unprecedented behaviour made its movements unpredictable.
Local Anger and Harrowing Escapes
Many residents remain unconvinced. Of the approximately 240 houses destroyed across the 42,000-hectare blaze, 183 were in Le Porge — about 12 percent of the village's roughly 1,500 buildings. Le Porge's year-round population is around 3,700.
Residents described chaotic escapes. Cecile Boudou said her elderly parents, 76 and 80, had to drive at night through fog along unmarked forest roads to flee their burning home.
"It's a political decision," she said, accusing authorities of prioritising Cap Ferret.
Claims About Resource Allocation
Pierre Alexandre, who organised volunteer support for firefighters in nearby Le Temple, said the region received too few crews and vehicles and was "sacrificed" to protect Cap Ferret's wealthier properties. "We should have distributed our resources better," he told AFP.
Mayor Martial Zaninetti urged caution pending a formal probe.
"I hear the anger and understand the anger today but we're not in a place to analyse what happened yet," he said, noting that tactical decisions were taken as the fire spread in multiple directions.
Exhaustion, Solidarity and Security Concerns
Despite anger toward officials, residents praised firefighters and volunteers. Locals organised food and shelter: caterer Manu Goncalves cooked roast chicken from a food truck while neighbours donated courgettes. Goncalves said shortages had left firefighters exhausted.
"We found one firefighter sleeping in a ditch as a result of how tired he was," he said.
AFP reporters saw rows of ruined homes, charred cars and blackened orchards. Residents set up improvised roadblocks and wore fluorescent vests to guard abandoned properties against opportunistic thieves.
Limits Of Aerial Support And Ongoing Questions
Officials emphasised the fire's unpredictable behaviour and the limits of aerial support, which cannot operate at night when some of the worst damage occurred. Zaninetti raised questions about whether the right vehicles and tactics were deployed at the right times and stressed that a full assessment must await the formal investigation.
What Comes Next: An official inquiry is expected to review tactical choices, resource allocation and the timing of aerial interventions. Meanwhile, residents and volunteers continue recovery and relief efforts amid anger and fatigue.
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