New evacuations ordered near Bordeaux as wildfire advances

French authorities have ordered the immediate evacuation of residents in Marcheprime and three neighborhoods of Cestas, towns near Bordeaux, as a massive wildfire in the Gironda region continues to spread. The prefect of Gironda, Sophie Brocas, directed security forces to conduct door-to-door evacuations for the affected areas.

The wildfire, which ignited Wednesday in the Arcachon basin, has already compelled more than 167,000 people to abandon their homes or vacation residences. The new evacuations add approximately 8,000 more people to that number.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez cautioned that the fire demands a protracted intervention. He stated that thousands of evacuees will not be permitted to return until the flames are completely stabilized, citing the abundant dry vegetation that poses a risk of reignition. "We will have to fight this fire for a long time," Nuñez asserted.

To bolster firefighting efforts, France has deployed approximately 1,500 military personnel since Saturday night. The minister defended the country's current aerial capacity but noted plans to acquire two new Canadair aircraft in 2028 and two more in 2032. He acknowledged the need to adapt response strategies to the expanding geographical risk of fires across France. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu highlighted a new capability: a military A400M aircraft successfully deployed retardant from its cargo hold, a world first achieved in just fifteen days.

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primicia