French Interior Minister: Wildfire situation remains 'very unfavorable'

The wildfire situation in France, especially in the Gironde region, is described as "very unfavorable," with the fire advancing near Bordeaux and exceeding 200,000 evacuations since Wednesday. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that the fire has been "extremely violent and unpredictable," generating its own winds and advancing erratically towards the Bordeaux metropolitan area.

New evacuations have affected several towns, and the A63 highway, connecting to Spain, has been partially closed. The fire, which originated near the Arcachon Bay, is now just 15 kilometers from Bordeaux. A massive force of 2,500 firefighters, 1,500 soldiers, and nearly 1,200 police officers are involved in the operations.

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Another difficult night on the fire front. The situation remains very unfavorable.

In the neighboring Landes department, the fire is more contained but has still led to the evacuation of 36,000 people. Meanwhile, in Var, a fire has reignited due to the mistral wind, covering 3,250 hectares and prompting the precautionary evacuation of 3,000 people. Over 1,100 firefighters are battling this blaze.

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The fire was again extremely violent and unpredictable, generating its own wind and advancing erratically towards the Bordeaux metropolitan area. At the end of the night, it calmed down again.