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🇧🇪 Belgium /Disasters & Emergencies

Belgian in Bordeaux fears approaching fire: "Bag with clothes is ready"

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Wildfires continue to rage in the Gironde region of France, near Bordeaux, with over 220,000 people evacuated.
  • Residents like Olivier De Messemaekers express concern as smoke fills the air and high temperatures persist, with his daughter Sieke preparing for potential evacuation.
  • The fires have impacted local businesses, with a real estate director noting a surge in last-minute rental requests and cancellations.

Wildfires continue to scorch the Gironde region of France, forcing the evacuation of over 220,000 people. Olivier De Messemaekers, a long-time resident near Bordeaux, shared his anxieties as smoke blankets the area and temperatures soar towards 40 degrees Celsius. "My daughter studies and works in Bordeaux. For now, she doesn't have to evacuate, but there is smoke in the streets," he said.

My daughter studies and works in Bordeaux. For now, she doesn't have to evacuate, but there is smoke in the streets.

— Olivier De MessemaekersDescribing the current situation in Bordeaux due to the wildfires.

De Messemaekers described the severity of the situation, noting that his daughter Sieke's apartment floor turned black with soot after she left a window open. Many of Sieke's colleagues and friends are on standby for evacuation, and Sieke herself has a "go-bag" ready. "Trying to control such an evacuation is not easy. There are always people who take advantage of an empty city. Many burglaries have already occurred in evacuated areas," De Messemaekers added, calling the situation "irresponsible."

My daughter had left the window of the apartment open and the entire floor turned black with soot.

— Olivier De MessemaekersIllustrating the impact of smoke from the wildfires on daily life.

The fires have also affected local real estate. De Messemaekers, who works as a regional director for a real estate agency, has seen a fluctuation in bookings. "We are getting a lot of last-minute requests. Many people don't want to take risks and are desperately looking for new housing," he explained. However, "we are also seeing many cancellations," he noted, particularly for properties in evacuated zones.

Trying to control such an evacuation is not easy. There are always people who take advantage of an empty city. Many burglaries have already occurred in evacuated areas.

— Olivier De MessemaekersExpressing concern about security issues during the mass evacuations.

Despite the fires being "mostly stable" near Bordeaux, De Messemaekers sees little prospect of immediate relief. "It will be very hot again in the coming days, but August and September are still to come. These are very risky months." He added that even 100 kilometers away, the impact is significant, with the sky often dark and tinged orange by the smoke.

We are getting a lot of last-minute requests. Many people don't want to take risks and are desperately looking for new housing.

— Olivier De MessemaekersExplaining the impact of the fires on the real estate market.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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