Volunteers across southwest France have mobilised to feed some 3,300 firefighters battling what officials describe as the country's worst wildfire in more than 75 years. Local producers and businesses — many affected by closures or damage — are donating oysters, cheeses, shrimp and regional dishes to improvised canteens. Makeshift kitchens and food trucks at command posts supply sustenance and morale, preventing perishables from being wasted while supporting crews working long, hot shifts.
Oysters, Crepes and Community: Volunteers Fuel France's Firefighters Amid Record Wildfires
France's fires have sparked a volunteer movement, with many rushing to help put out the flames or feed the firefighters (ROMAIN PERROCHEAU)
As smoke from what officials called France's worst wildfire in more than 75 years rolled over the Bassin d'Arcachon, volunteers rallied to keep crews fed and focused. Mid-shift firefighters paused to eat oysters plucked from the bay west of Bordeaux, washed with a spritz of unwaxed lemon — a small taste of home as they battled the blaze.
Local Produce, Shared Relief
Across southwest France, a network of volunteers and local producers has mobilised to feed a roughly 3,300-strong brigade of firefighters. Makeshift canteens range from a single food truck in a car park to full field kitchens at command posts such as Lege-Cap-Ferret. Donations include oysters, artisanal cheeses, crepes, shrimp and regional specialties — many supplied by businesses temporarily closed or damaged by the fire.
‘We’ve got a strong bond with the oyster farmers, hunters and farmers, who are all part of the region’s fabric,’ said Florian Gazeau, a volunteer at a rest post near Lanton. ‘If someone has oysters they’ll bring them along.’
Volunteers described their efforts as both practical and symbolic: preventing perishable goods from going to waste while offering comfort and much-needed calories to crews working long, hot shifts. One restauranteur donated 100 kilogrammes (220 pounds) of shrimp that otherwise would have been discarded, and a caterer from La Reunion earned praise for bringing cari, a spicy stew from the Indian Ocean island.
Scale and Spirit
At central command buffets, two full-size catering trays displayed a variety of cheeses warmed for immediate serving. Teams working around the clock maintained chill rooms for perishable donations and rotated volunteers to keep kitchens operating. Desserts ranged from madeleines and mirabelles to American-style glazed doughnuts, reflecting both local pride and a willingness to accept whatever helps the crews 'stay upright.'
Firefighter Cyril Veniere said bottled water and ready-to-eat treats kept teams going during hours spent sweating in the heat. Fellow firefighter Teddy Rousselet noted the community's gratitude: residents are 'almost ready to hand us the key to their houses.' In Le Porge, where roughly 12 percent of buildings were destroyed, volunteer Manu Goncalves dished out roast chicken alongside neighbours' courgettes and vowed to remain until the flames were gone.
The wildfires have scorched about 42,000 hectares (104,000 acres), displacing businesses and shuttering restaurants that have instead turned their supplies into donations. Volunteers and caterers say their work is driven by gratitude, solidarity and the practical desire not to let food go to waste — a distinctly local response to a national emergency.
Photos and reports from the scene highlighted the improvisation, gastronomic pride and communal determination keeping the front-line crews fed during one of France's most severe wildfire seasons.
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