French "wild' fires

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Chappers51 · #61 Post by **Chappers51** » Sat Jul 25, 2026 3:23 pm

We have heavy rain, accompanied by thunderstorms: I’m hoping that it is falling further west into the Gironde.
Interestingly the smell of smoke has intensified.

Headers · #62 Post by **Headers** » Sat Jul 25, 2026 4:29 pm

We were in the smoke yesterday. Got me thinking about a ‘grab it and go’ bag as we live very near the woods. I have two bags at the ready now and a list of things that would go in at last minute. Thankfully no animals to worry about now.

Lori · #63 Post by **Lori** » Sat Jul 25, 2026 4:35 pm

Headers wrote: ↑Sat Jul 25, 2026 4:29 pm We were in the smoke yesterday. Got me thinking about a ‘grab it and go’ bag as we live very near the woods. I have two bags at the ready now and a list of things that would go in at last minute. Thankfully no animals to worry about now.

We have done the same thing. Two bags ready, a thumb drive back-up of important documents and a box of important originals ready.

Blaze · #64 Post by **Blaze** » Sat Jul 25, 2026 7:14 pm

I've been to our local kennels who've said there will be no problem taking our dogs if we get called up to go to Bordeaux. The owner said that a boarding kennels had been evacuated near Bordeaux and that all the dogs and cats had to be left behind

The pompiers were spraying around them in the hope of giving them some protection. It's just awful.

Liz · #65 Post by **Liz** » Sat Jul 25, 2026 10:56 pm

I have been in touch with guide dog school at Merignac (where we were puppywalkers for many years) to say we can take a dog or two if nec. Kennels evacuated but so far they don't need us. Guide dog people we know have been evacuated to Bordeaux Lac expo centre. Scary. We are trying not to moan about the smoke here in the Lot

Blaze · #66 Post by **Blaze** » Sat Jul 25, 2026 11:22 pm

There have been 8,00 more evacuations from the west of Bordeaux, several areas on the edge of Bordeaux. Perhaps they will eventually try to use the rocade as a firebreak ? The situation doesn't seem to be improving.
1500 military personnel have been mobilised from this evening, the help that's desperately needed.

With this weekend being a grand départ, there will be more traffic than usual on the roads. Whilst Bordeaux itself is not being evacuated, there must be a lot of unease among the population. Goodness only knows how I would feel if I lived down there ....

MAD87 · #67 Post by **MAD87** » Sun Jul 26, 2026 8:56 am

It's dreadful, much worse than the Les Landes wildfires of '22. I'm not a violent person, but if I had a firesetter in front of me in court, I'd tell the prison staff to chuck the cell key away and leave the miscreant to rot. For ever and ever. Amen.
I read this morning that 220,000 people had been evacuated from their homes in Gironde. I just hope that eventually they'll have homes to return to.

Blaze · #68 Post by **Blaze** » Sun Jul 26, 2026 9:43 am

It's a huge wake-up call to climate change even though most of the fires were man-made. The number of evacuees is staggering and how many of them will have homes left to go to ? All the animals and wildlife .... irreplaceable.
This satellite image, which has just been updated, shows the extent and size of the fire - compare it with the size of Bordeaux on the right hand side .... it's chilling.

Capture d’écran 2026-07-26 à 09.40.22.png

widge · #69 Post by **widge** » Sun Jul 26, 2026 9:43 am

Today is very windy, and the odd bit of misty rain overnight, but a real stench of smoke in the air, we are in the Herault about 350 kms from Bordeaux, but based on the wind direction, and current fires in france, Bordeaux is the most likely source.

Bayleaf · #70 Post by **Bayleaf** » Sun Jul 26, 2026 9:49 am

How the heck did this one start? Just the building, no vegetation?

https://france3-regions.franceinfo.fr/o ... 1785045931

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