France wildfire A400M drops retardant as flames force 250,000 to flee

France wildfire A400M drops retardant over Gironde forests

On Saturday a French Air Force A400M transport aircraft, retrofitted for fire‑fighting, skimmed low over the drought‑parched woodlands of southwest France, releasing a thick orange plume of flame retardant. The move came as the France wildfire A400M operation was launched to protect the Bordeaux wine region and to free police units for evacuation duties. ↑ 1,400 firefighters have been mobilised in the Gironde sector, while authorities scramble to shelter more than 250,000 displaced residents across Spain and France.

Tour de France rerouted amid emergency

Organisers cut the final stage of the Tour de France to an 89‑km circuit inside Paris, redirecting security personnel to the blaze zones.

“We have never faced a fire of this magnitude,” said interior minister Laurent Nunez, speaking to Reuters.

Winds shifting west‑to‑east threaten to drive the fire toward Bordeaux, prompting the prefect to order evacuations in western suburbs and nearby villages.

Cross‑border aid and climate backdrop

Spain has deployed 2,600 emergency workers and 19 water‑dropping aircraft; Italy, Greece and the Netherlands have pledged additional planes. The season’s heatwaves have turned forests into tinderboxes, with Spain reporting ↓ 130,000 hectares burned so far this year, well above the decade average.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu described the situation as “unprecedented,” noting that soldiers are now equipped with respirators to protect against toxic smoke. The city of Bordeaux opened its exhibition centre to house thousands of evacuees, while the airport remains operational despite suspended bus and tram links.