Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that France's largest wildfire of the season, near Bordeaux, is under control though active hotspots persist. The blaze burned about 42,000 hectares and prompted the evacuation of ~224,000 people; nearly 198,000 have returned and 10,000+ more are expected to go home. Firefighters have refocused efforts on a separate, fast-growing fire in the Var region, where ~1,500 personnel and several aircraft are deployed.
Massive Bordeaux Wildfire Brought Under Control as Hotspots Remain
A burned-out house can be seen in Le Porge, near Bordeaux. Numerous homes in the town were destroyed by the wildfires in south-western France. (is associated with: «France says massive fire near Bordeaux is under control») Katharina Kausche/dpa
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said on Saturday that the season's largest wildfire, west of Bordeaux on France's Atlantic coast, has been brought under control and is no longer spreading — though active hotspots persist and still require close monitoring.
Current Situation
The blaze has scorched roughly 42,000 hectares, making it the largest wildfire of the season in France. At the peak of the emergency, authorities evacuated about 224,000 people; nearly 198,000 have already been allowed to return home. Officials said an additional 10,000+ residents should be able to return as conditions continue to improve.
National Context
Nuñez noted that, since the start of the year, wildfires have burned about 119,000 hectares across France, underlining a challenging season for fire services and local communities.
New Threat in the Var
Attention has shifted to southern France, where a separate wildfire in the Var region reignited and expanded by more than 1,000 hectares in a matter of hours on Friday. By Saturday afternoon the situation had not worsened, but authorities warned the area remained at high risk because forecasters predicted dry conditions and strong winds later in the day.
Response Efforts
According to the local prefecture, roughly 1,500 firefighters were deployed to tackle the Var fire, supported by six water-bombing aircraft and five helicopters. Firefighters continue to work on remaining hotspots near Bordeaux to prevent flare-ups.
"Although the main blaze is under control, active zones remain and require attention," Nuñez said, urging continued vigilance as weather conditions evolve.
What comes next: Authorities will monitor hotspots, assess damage, and coordinate returns for residents while keeping an eye on weather forecasts that could affect containment efforts.
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