The great fire outside Bordeaux

People behind nine out of ten fires – 162 arrested

Nine out of ten French forest fires have been caused by humans, writes the country's Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu in a post on X.

According to Lecornu, it is primarily a matter of people acting carelessly, for example when grilling or by throwing cigarette butts that have not been extinguished properly.

At the same time, he points out that not everything is about accidents, and that since the beginning of July, French authorities have arrested 162 people connected to fires.

Since the start of the fire season, over 13,500 fires have been registered.

Macron: Worst challenge since World War II

The forest fires are the biggest challenge for France since World War II, says President Emmanuel Macron according to The Telegraph.

The president visited the fire-ravaged Gironde region on Monday and warned that it will take time to fight the fires. Later this week, the forecast says a new heat wave is on the way, with temperatures of up to 40 degrees.

– We have to be realistic. The coming weeks will be tough. 

“Fire cloud” has formed over Bordeaux – could spread the fire further

A so-called fire cloud has formed above the fires outside Bordeaux in France, reports Sky News.

The clouds are formed by the strong air currents that arise above large fires and can in turn create both their own winds and thunderstorms. They therefore also pose a risk that the fire will spread to completely new places where lightning strikes.

Gironde Governor Sophie Brocas said this weekend that the fire clouds that had already formed had made her realize that the region had been “relegated to another dimension”. 

Analysis: The wet winter paved the way for the giant fires

The combination of wet winter, dry spring and scorching summer has paved the way for the forest fires in France and Spain. Brendan Wood writes in an analysis in The Guardian.

The wet winter filled the land with moisture and nutrients, which led to abundant vegetation. The drought has then transformed the vegetation into “an abundance of fine fuel” that provided perfect conditions for the flames.

Once the fire is established, the flames also devour dried-out bushes, roots and trees. The larger plant parts become hotter, burn longer and help create “pillars of extremely hot air that can carry sparks far away from the fire itself”, writes Wood.

The New York Times has the same opinion: The extreme weather paved the way for the fires. When the forests are so dry, a spark is enough. Johann Georg Goldammer, head of the German forest fire research and advisory institute GFMC, describes it as Europe's desiccation.

- The vegetation is taking a beating from this extreme heat and drought. And this is constantly building, he says.