As of 6 August 2026, the wildfire emergency in southwest France is over: the Gironde megafire near Bordeaux — France’s largest wildfire since 1949 at around 42,000 hectares — has been “fixed” (no longer spreading) since 27 July, and the smaller Landes fire near Biscarrosse has been contained since the same date. Southwest France is now in a recovery and reconstruction phase, not an active-fire emergency.
Wego last checked this update against official French sources on 6 August 2026. This page will keep tracking any new developments so travellers can plan a Bordeaux-area trip with confidence.
- The Gironde fire (Lège-Cap-Ferret, Le Porge, Lacanau, Saumos) burned around 42,000 hectares and has been fixed since 27 July 2026; the prefecture downgraded the forest-fire alert from red to orange on 4 August.
- More than 90% of the roughly 224,000 people evacuated at the fire’s peak have now returned home, including all of Lège-Cap-Ferret and most of Le Porge from 3 August; only the Ferron and Plein Soleil sectors of Le Porge remain closed, for unexploded WWII-ordnance clearance.
- The Landes fire near Biscarrosse (around 3,500 hectares) has been contained since 27 July and its evacuees returned home weeks ago; Bordeaux city itself was never evacuated and continues to operate normally.
Where the wildfires are, and their current status
Both fires are now fixed or contained, not spreading, with the region moving into a reconstruction phase rather than an emergency.
The Gironde fire was the larger and more serious of the two, and its recovery is still the one worth checking closely before you travel. It has not spread since 27 July, and the Ferron and Plein Soleil sectors of Le Porge remain closed only because unexploded Second World War ordnance was uncovered there during firefighting, which crews are still clearing.
The Landes fire near Biscarrosse displaced tens of thousands of people at its peak, but it has been contained since 27 July and its evacuation zones were fully lifted weeks ago.
| Zone | Location | Scale | Status (6 Aug 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gironde fire | West of Bordeaux, Arcachon Basin coast — Lège-Cap-Ferret, Le Porge, Lacanau, Saumos | ~42,000 ha burned; ~224,000 evacuated at peak | Fixed since 27 Jul; alert now orange; over 90% of evacuees home; 2 small sectors closed for demining |
| Landes fire | Southwest of Bordeaux, Atlantic coast — Biscarrosse, Parentis-en-Born | ~3,500 ha burned; ~36,000–40,000 evacuated at peak | Contained since 27 Jul; evacuees returned; fully reopened |
| Bordeaux city | Inland gateway, between the two zones | Not burned; nearest fire front reached ~15km away in late July | Never evacuated; operating normally throughout |
Do you need to change your plans? A southwest France trip decision guide
For almost the whole region the answer is now simply to keep your trip, since both fires are fixed or contained and most evacuated areas have reopened. The only real exception is a narrow demining exclusion zone in Le Porge.
Is southwest France back open for visitors?
Yes: Bordeaux city was never evacuated and has operated normally throughout, and both regional fires are now fixed or contained. The only standing restriction is the small demining zone in Le Porge, plus any campsite or light-dwelling site the prefecture has not yet cleared to reopen.
Regional authorities restricted some roads and TER regional trains, including the Bordeaux–Arcachon and Bordeaux–Morcenx corridors, while the fires were active in late July. Those restrictions have been lifted as the affected communes reopened, but it is still worth checking live road and rail status before a coastal day trip, since some burned-forest areas remain closed to the public for safety.
How to plan your trip with Wego
If your original stay was near the Le Porge exclusion zone or a site that has not yet reopened, compare Bordeaux accommodation options on Wego as a practical alternative. Select a property with terms that work if your plans shift.
Before setting out for the airport, compare flight options to Bordeaux on Wego and use Wego’s flight-status tracker to check your specific flight. Bordeaux–Mérignac airport has operated normally throughout the wildfire event; a separate, unrelated building fire near the airport on 21 July briefly halted departures because of smoke, but that incident was resolved the same day and had no lasting effect on airport operations.
Wildfire smoke and burned-area safety
There is no active wildfire smoke over Bordeaux or the coast as of this update, since both fires stopped spreading in late July. The lingering risks now are practical rather than respiratory: weakened, fire-damaged trees, unstable ground in burned forest, and the unexploded ordnance still being cleared in parts of Le Porge.
- Do not enter a burned forest area or a posted exclusion zone, even if it looks accessible.
- Follow any local instruction about damaged trees or unstable terrain near burned sectors.
- If a new heatwave or wildfire alert is issued, follow the French foreign ministry’s standard smoke guidance: stay indoors during peaks, keep windows closed, and avoid intense outdoor activity.
- Travellers with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, asthma, pregnancy, young children, older age or immunosuppression should still seek medical advice if any new smoke event occurs.
Before you leave: a short checklist
- Confirm the address: Ask your accommodation whether the property is outside the Le Porge exclusion zone and whether any campsite booking has been authorised to reopen.
- Check the department: Read the latest Gironde prefecture and Météo-France Vigilance information for the place you will actually visit.
- Check the journey: Roads and TER trains have returned to normal; review the national live-road map if driving and the relevant operator if using rail or air.
- Avoid burned areas: Do not enter a closed forest sector to look around, even out of curiosity.
- Keep a fallback: Save a flexible Bordeaux-city option if any part of your Atlantic-coast stay cannot be confirmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I cancel a Bordeaux trip because of the France wildfires?
No. Bordeaux city was never evacuated and has operated normally throughout, and both regional fires are now fixed or contained. Just confirm your exact accommodation is outside the small Le Porge exclusion zone before you travel.
How big are the Gironde wildfires and are they contained?
The Gironde fire burned around 42,000 hectares, France’s largest wildfire since 1949, and has been fixed (no longer spreading) since 27 July 2026. The prefecture downgraded the forest-fire alert from red to orange on 4 August, and only the Ferron and Plein Soleil sectors of Le Porge remain closed, for ordnance clearance rather than fire risk.
What is the latest Landes wildfire travel advice?
The Landes fire near Biscarrosse was contained on 27 July 2026 after burning around 3,500 hectares, and its evacuees returned home weeks ago. No ongoing travel restrictions have been reported for the area since.
How many people were evacuated by the France wildfires?
Around 224,000 people were evacuated from Gironde at the fire’s peak, plus roughly 36,000–40,000 from the Landes fire, among the largest wildfire evacuations in modern French history. More than 90% of Gironde evacuees, and all Landes evacuees, have since returned home.
Is there still wildfire smoke over Bordeaux or the coast?
No active smoke has been reported since both fires stopped spreading in late July. If a new heatwave or wildfire alert is issued in future, travellers vulnerable to air pollution should recheck conditions before finalising outdoor plans.
The bottom line for your southwest France trip
Southwest France has moved from wildfire emergency to recovery: keep a Bordeaux, Landes-coast or most-of-Le-Porge booking as planned, and only relocate if your address sits inside the small Ferron/Plein Soleil exclusion zone. Gironde’s reconstruction steering committee met for the first time on 5 August, and France’s prime minister is due to visit on 17 August, both signs the region is now rebuilding rather than firefighting.
Use the Gironde prefecture and Météo-France for the latest official word on your exact commune, then use Wego to compare flexible Bordeaux stays and check your flight before heading to the airport.
Sources
- Préfecture de la Gironde — Saumos fire situation update, 4 August 2026 (alert downgraded red to orange)
- Préfecture de la Gironde — Saumos fire situation update, 1 August 2026 (scale, evacuations, reintegration)
- Préfecture de la Gironde — Reintegration authorised in Lège-Cap-Ferret and Le Porge, 2 August 2026
- Préfecture de la Gironde — Reconstruction steering committee installed, 6 August 2026
- Préfecture de la Gironde — rolling wildfire information hub
- Météo-France — Gironde weather vigilance
Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to make sure the information in this article is as accurate and up to date as possible at the time of publishing. Travel details such as prices, schedules, visa rules, and entry requirements can change at short notice, so it remains your responsibility to verify the current details with official sources before you book or travel. Wego accepts no liability for any loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this content.
