Live: holiday camps suspended in Gironde, Macron will chair a crisis unit on Monday

Fires in Gironde: heat threatens

The authorities fear the arrival of a heat wave likely to aggravate the extraordinary fire which mobilizes thousands of firefighters and soldiers in Gironde and threatens the Bordeaux metropolitan area.

Météo-France is forecasting a probable heat wave from the South-West from Tuesday with highs up to 40°C and slightly less strong but drier winds.

In Gironde, the flames have ravaged 42,000 hectares since Wednesday, a stable figure compared to the last report but the fire “continues to progress”, according to the latest update from the prefecture at 10 p.m. Sunday.

Holiday camp activity suspended in Gironde

Holiday camp activities are suspended in Gironde, prefect Sophie Brocas announced early Monday, given the ongoing fires which have ravaged 42,000 hectares since Wednesday in this tourist department of the South-West.

The prefect announced that he would issue a decree “prohibiting the activities of collective receptions of minors with accommodation (holiday camps), collective receptions of minors comprising at least one night (leisure centers) as well as scouting stays comprising at least one night”. “Adapted holiday stays organized for people with disabilities” are also prohibited, indicates Sophie Brocas in another decree.

In Gironde, fifth night of combat for firefighters, “generally stable situation”

Thousands of firefighters, supported by soldiers, farmers and local residents who remained on site despite the evacuations, faced for the fifth night in a row an extraordinary and erratic fire, around fifteen kilometers from the Bordeaux metropolitan area.

“At this stage, the situation remained generally stable during the night, with no major developments to report. The security and emergency forces remain fully mobilized and are continuing their missions on the ground,” the Gironde prefecture said on Monday morning.

Emmanuel Macron will chair an “interministerial crisis unit” at the Ministry of the Interior devoted to fires in France on Monday at 10 a.m., according to the Élysée, before other meetings on the affected economic sectors.

In total, 115,000 hectares have been covered by fires in France since the start of the year, an “exceptional” situation, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez interviewed on France 2. “It’s 30 to 40 fires which are fought simultaneously” on a daily basis, he added, counting “more than 13,000 fires starting” in 2026.

In Gironde, the flames have ravaged 42,000 hectares since Wednesday, a stable figure compared to the last report but the fire “continues to progress”, according to an update from the prefecture at 4:30 p.m.