Gironde wildfire: Map of ongoing forest fires near Arcachon Bay

A massive wildfire continues to rage in the Gironde region of southwestern France, having already consumed 42,000 hectares since igniting on July 22. The fire, which began in Saumos, initially threatened the Cap Ferret peninsula and the Arcachon basin before shifting eastward.

Authorities are now battling the blaze as it moves toward Martignas-sur-Jalle, Saint-Jean-d’Illac, and Marcheprime, towns located less than 20 kilometers from Bordeaux. Despite a calm night on Tuesday, firefighters faced several flare-ups in the northern Porge area and the northern part of Cap-Ferret. The fire is currently described as "still stabilized" as of Tuesday morning.

While the exact cause remains under investigation, officials are prioritizing the accidental fire theory, with some sources suggesting a brush-clearing machine may have sparked the inferno. The destruction has been extensive, with 240 homes lost. Fortunately, no civilian deaths have been reported, but 93 firefighters have sustained injuries, with ten requiring hospitalization.

The ongoing fire has necessitated the evacuation of 220,000 residents from the affected areas, highlighting the severe impact on the local population and infrastructure. The map of the ongoing fire in Gironde illustrates the vast scale of the disaster and the evolving situation.