Macron visits Gironde as wildfires char 42,000 hectares, calls them worst since World War II

Macron visits crisis center as Gironde megafire burns

On Monday afternoon, President Emmanuel Macron traveled to the fire command center (CODIS) in Bordeaux, where emergency services are coordinating the response to a massive wildfire in Gironde. The fire has already consumed 42,000 hectares, and Macron described it as the worst in France since the end of World War II.

You must realize that this is a fire of unprecedented scale. The worst since World War II.

Macron was accompanied by Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. He urged national unity, stating that now is not the time for post-mortems: “We don’t debrief in the middle of the battle. We stay united and fight to win the battle everywhere.” He added that the weeks ahead will be difficult.

Scale of the fires and current status

The Gironde fire, which ignited on Thursday near Biscarrosse in the neighboring Landes department, has been “stabilized” according to Macron, but remains “virulent” and requires extreme caution in the coming hours and days. The earlier Landes fire is now “fixed,” he announced, though the Gironde blaze continues to threaten communities. Overall, France has seen more than 116,000 hectares burned by wildfires this year, underscoring the severity of the season.

Temperatures have been rising again after a brief lull, fueling renewed flare-ups. The situation remains tense, with firefighters battling the flames around the clock. The president’s visit aimed to show state support for the thousands of personnel mobilized.

A call to replant and adapt forests

Beyond immediate firefighting, Macron stressed the need to “replant and rebuild a different forest.” He linked the disaster to “structural conditions of climate change” and “pressure from housing and tourism that has developed over recent decades.” The president said France must adapt its forest management to a warmer, drier future.

We will need to replant and rebuild a different forest.

This marks a notable statement from the French leader, framing the fires as part of a broader climate adaptation challenge rather than a one-off catastrophe. The call for a “different forest” implies potential changes in species selection, firebreaks, and settlement patterns near woodlands.

Defending investment in civil security

Faced with nascent criticism over whether France had prepared adequately, Macron defended his government’s record. He said resources for civil security have “almost doubled” over the past ten years. “I think we have deployed all possible means,” he told reporters. While acknowledging the need for humility, he rejected any immediate review.

Opposition voices have questioned the state’s readiness, but Macron’s message was one of resolve and continuity. He insisted the priority is to contain the fires and protect lives, with any assessment of response effectiveness to come later.

What comes next

With the Gironde fire still active and weather forecasts predicting more heat, authorities are bracing for prolonged operations. Macron’s warning that “the weeks to come will be hard” signals that the crisis is far from over. The president reiterated that the state will stand with affected communities for the long haul, including during the enormous task of rebuilding and reforesting.