Firefighters combat megafire that burned 42,000 hectares near Bordeaux

The “megafire” that erupted six kilometres from the village of Le Porge last week has forced the evacuation of roughly 200,000 residents and consumed 42 000 hectares of forest west of Bordeaux. By noon, the heat, which has reached 35 °C, was still intense, and the air carried the acrid scent of ash and burnt wood. At a makeshift table outside the sports centre, about 200 men and a handful of women—firefighters, soldiers, police, gendarmes, officials, first‑aid teams, foresters and volunteers—gathered to share a meal of sausages, steak and potatoes, a brief respite amid the ongoing crisis.

The blaze, now largely contained, continues to flare up daily, stretching emergency services to their limits. The rapid evacuation, completed just over 14 hours after the fire’s outbreak, highlighted the scale of the threat and the coordination required among professional responders and hundreds of amateur volunteers. Despite the containment, the persistent risk of new outbreaks means that firefighting crews remain on a relentless “war of attrition” against the flames.

As the region battles these recurring flare‑ups, the focus remains on maintaining containment and protecting the remaining communities. The continued presence of a large, diverse emergency response force underscores the seriousness of the situation and the need for sustained vigilance as the fire season progresses.