According to local media, about 3850 hectares of forest have already been lost due to the two major forest fires raging in the French southwestern department of Gironde since Tuesday.
About a thousand firefighters are trying to bring the blazes southwest and southeast of Bordeaux under control, but they are still unsuccessful.
They have the support of six fire-fighting planes. Firefighters from other parts of the country have come to the rescue. The drought and high temperatures between 35 and 38 degrees make extinguishing difficult. The damage to the forest is enormous, according to local authorities, but no other damage has been reported. There are no injuries to be regretted.
On Wednesday, about 6,000 campers were evacuated overnight due to the fire south of Arcachon, about 50 kilometres from Bordeaux. It is not known whether Dutch holidaymakers are among the evacuees. During the night from Wednesday to Thursday, a hundred people had to leave quickly in the town of Cazaux, on the lake of the same name. The fire there rages at the tourist beach known as Dune du Pilat. The beach is also closed as a precaution, as are nearby provincial roads.
The largest fire is about 30 kilometres south of Bordeaux near Landiras. The cause of this is unknown. More than 500 hamlets and a village near Landiras have been evacuated.
