French fires visual guide
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
France's Gironde fires burned record land, forcing evacuations. A 1857 pine monoculture and climate change fueled the inferno.
Background
The fires in southwestern France this summer burned more land than ever recorded and forced more evacuations than any time since WWII. The conditions were centuries in the making: an 1857 decree drained wetlands and planted a pine monoculture, creating a fire-prone forest. Climate change, with Europe warming 2.4C, increased hot and dry extremes, while a wet winter followed by heatwaves created abundant fuel.
How it unfolded
- 1857Napoleon III's decree drained coastal wetlands and planted maritime pines, creating Europe's largest human-made forest.
- 1949A blaze killed 82 people, becoming Europe's deadliest wildfire.
- Jul 22, 2026Smoke rose near Saumos after three weeks of heat; the fire spread rapidly, reaching Cap Ferret within 24 hours.
- recentlyThe fires burned record land, forced mass evacuations, and caused a suspected firestorm thundercloud.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- The Bordeaux public prosecutor identified a faulty machine as the leading line of inquiry; Enedis declined to comment due to the investigation.
- Local
- Forestry workers told Le Monde that firefighters rejected their recommendation for a controlled burn, and residents of La Porge claim resources were taken from their village.
Still unverified
The exact ignition source is under investigation; a faulty machine is a leading theory but not confirmed. Claims of inadequate early response are based on local accounts.