Four Times the Size of Paris: Twin Wildfires Keep France on High Alert as 224,000 Flee, Provence Remains on Edge

France's devastating wildfire emergency entered a crucial phase on Sunday as authorities confirmed that the massive Bordeaux-area blaze had been contained, even as firefighters continued battling a second dangerous wildfire in the Provence region. While the immediate spread of both fires has been halted, officials warned that extreme heat, dry weather and strong winds could quickly reignite flames.

The wildfire in the Gironde region near Bordeaux scorched nearly 420 square kilometres in just ten days, an area almost four times the size of Paris, and triggered one of the largest peacetime evacuations in modern French history, forcing around 224,000 residents to leave their homes. Thousands remain displaced as authorities continue assessing the damage.

Around 3,000 firefighters remain deployed across the two wildfire zones, extinguishing hotspots, creating firebreaks and securing burnt forests. French officials described the Gironde blaze as "fixed," meaning it has been successfully contained within its perimeter but is not yet fully extinguished. The region continues to remain under France's highest red forest-fire alert due to persistent wildfire risks.

International assistance is also arriving, with additional firefighting teams from Ukraine, Lithuania and French Polynesia expected to reinforce operations.

Meanwhile, in southeastern France's Var department, nearly 1,500 firefighters are battling another wildfire that spread across approximately 18 square kilometres in little over a day. Although the blaze in the Gros Bessillon hills stopped advancing overnight, officials said it remains uncontained. Firefighting aircraft continue protecting nearby villages surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and dense woodland. Nearly 2,500 people have been evacuated from threatened communities.

The Var region has now experienced its fourth major wildfire since July 19. Earlier this week, a separate blaze near Brignoles forced actor George Clooney and hundreds of other residents to evacuate before firefighters brought it under control.

Scientists from World Weather Attribution have said that human-driven climate change doubled the likelihood of the extreme fire conditions behind France's latest wildfire crisis. According to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe is warming at twice the global average rate since the 1980s, making severe heatwaves and destructive wildfires increasingly frequent.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the country's wildfires were generally under control but cautioned that rapidly changing weather could still reverse progress. He also announced the appointment of a national coordinator to oversee reconstruction efforts in fire-affected regions. Since the start of the year, more than 1,170 square kilometres have been burned across France.