Residents Begin Returning Home After Major Wildfire Contained Near Bordeaux
Wildfire Containment and Community Impact in Southwestern France
By Yves Herman and Sarah Meyssonnier
Evacuation and Return of Residents
BORDEAUX, France, July 31 (Reuters) - Thousands of people evacuated in southwestern France due to a major wildfire were gradually allowed back home on Friday after authrities said the fire, which has burned for more than a week, was contained.
French authorities have ended the evacuation of 12 districts in the west and southwest of Bordeaux, allowing 144,000 people out of more than 220,000 to return home, Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas said in a statement on Friday.
Current Status of the Fire
"The situation is stable, the fire is contained within its perimeter," she said. "Overnight weather conditions were favourable: falling temperatures and high humidity levels."
Infrastructure and Accessibility
The A63 highway that links the city of Bordeaux with the Spanish border was reopened. However, access to the Cap Ferret peninsula, a tourist hotspot, where valuable properties are located, remained closed, as the only road connecting it with the mainland runs through burned areas.
Extent of the Damage
The wildfire in the Landes area west of Bordeaux has devastated 42,000 hectares (103,784 acres) of highly flammable pine tree forests, after a severe dry spell. The fire burned a few hundred houses.
Investigation and National Context
Arson and Detentions
So far this year, about 308 people were detained on suspicion of arson, intentional or not, in the whole country, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Friday morning.
Wildfire Season Records
France is going through an unprecedented wildfire season. The area burned has already surpassed the previous record year of 2022.
Other Affected Areas
Other areas burnt during the past few weeks included Brignoles in southeastern Provence, where inhabitants, including Hollywood actor George Clooney, his British wife Amal and their children, were evacuated.
(Reporting by Yves Herman, Sarah Meyssonnier, Writing by Inti Landauro; Editing by Michael Perry)
