France’s Biggest Wildfire of Season Forces 250,000 to Evacuate

A wildfire in France forced the evacuation of 55,000 people overnight Sunday, bringing the total forced out of their homes to 250,000.

Major fires are raging in the Gironde and Landes regions in southwest France as fire crews are aided by water bombers and helicopters, according to the French Ministry of the Interior.

The Minister of the Interior called the fire in Gironde the “biggest fire of the season” and it has led to the evacuation of 220,000 people. The ongoing fire in the Landes region has forced 30,000 people from their homes.

On July 25, the Prefect of Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Gironde ordered the preventive evacuation of five municipalities as a wildfire spread through southwestern France. The evacuation order covered the communities of Marcheprime, Cestas, Mios, Biganos, and Le Barp, with residents instructed to follow directions from emergency authorities.

The French Ministry of the Interior said that the fires are a result of conditions linked to so-called climate change and the lack of rainfall for several months; it also said that “9 out of 10 forest fires originate from human activity.”

It added that periods of strong winds are exacerbating the situation.

France has assembled a large national and international firefighting force to combat this year’s wildfire season, combining aircraft, ground crews, and military personnel.

France’s aerial firefighting fleet includes 12 Canadair water bombers, eight Dash firefighting aircraft, three reconnaissance aircraft, and about 30 helicopters operated by local fire services, according to the Interior Ministry. The government also contracted additional helicopters and Air Tractor firefighting aircraft for the 2026 fire season.

Through the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism and the rescEU program, France can also receive firefighting aircraft and other resources from countries including Spain, Italy, Croatia, and Greece. Additional aircraft from Malta, Sweden, and the Czech Republic have already been deployed to assist.

On the ground, France has more than 250,000 firefighters, about one-fifth of whom are career professionals. The country also has 51 specialized wildfire response units made up of approximately 3,500 personnel and more than 700 vehicles that can be deployed to major fires.

The Interior Ministry said France continues to expand its firefighting capabilities by adding new water-bomber bases and testing new aircraft, including military transport planes capable of carrying large volumes of water to protect communities and critical infrastructure.