French President Emmanuel Macron posted on social media on the 24th stating that France has requested the activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to address the ongoing widespread wildfires across the country.
Macron said the wildfire situation across France remains highly tense, especially in the southwestern Gironde department where the fire is severe.
He pointed out that France will soon receive firefighting plane and helicopter support from Croatia, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
Authorities stated that at least 141,000 people have already been urgently evacuated from southwestern France.
As the wildfires are spreading toward areas near the department capital Bordeaux, authorities on the 25th, as a precaution, ordered the evacuation of residents from several nearby towns.
According to French media reports, as of mid-July, the area burned by wildfires in France this year has already exceeded 42,000 hectares, surpassing last year's total for the whole year. In just the first two weeks of July, the burned area reached nearly 15,000 hectares, affecting the Fontainebleau Forest near Paris as well as the southern regions of France and Corsica.
The Fontainebleau Forest, about 60 kilometers southeast of Paris, experienced two fires on the night of the 12th and the afternoon of the 13th. The French National Forestry Office said the combined burned area of both fires reached 2,000 hectares, about 10% of the forest's total area.
A fire broke out on the 22nd near the Arcachon Basin in the Gironde department and continued to spread. French Interior Minister Nunez stated to the media on the 24th that this fire has "spread over more than 10,000 hectares", with up to 40,000 people evacuated locally and a total of 80 houses destroyed.
A fire broke out in Biscarrosse, Landes department in southwestern France in the afternoon of the 23rd and quickly spread. The local government stated on social media on the 24th that as of 7 a.m. that day, more than 2,500 hectares had already burned and, due to strong winds, the fire is not yet under control. Over 23,000 people have been evacuated locally.