France fire crews battle forest blaze amid high temperatures

A forest fire has erupted in the Gironde region of southwestern France, prompting emergency crews and local volunteers to battle the blaze amid mounting concerns over public safety. The fire, which began on Tuesday afternoon near the town of Langon, quickly spread across a mixed‑oak woodland, prompting the prefecture to issue evacuation orders for several nearby hamlets. Despite the warnings, some residents have declined to leave, with one volunteer firefighter telling the BBC, “It’s our forest,” as he continued to work alongside firefighters, police, and the French civil protection agency to contain the flames.

Authorities have deployed over 150 firefighters, three aerial water‑dropping units, and a fleet of ground vehicles, while the Ministry of the Interior monitors air quality and potential threats to nearby infrastructure. By Thursday morning, the fire had scorched an estimated 400 hectares, and officials reported no serious injuries, though several people were treated for smoke inhalation. The evacuation orders remain in effect for the most vulnerable zones, and officials stress that compliance is essential to prevent further risk as the operation to fully extinguish the blaze continues.