Macron held an emergency meeting due to fires near Bordeaux - over 250 thousand people evacuated
Kyiv • UNN
French President Emmanuel Macron held a crisis government meeting over forest fires in Gironde. Over 250 thousand people have been evacuated, the fire destroyed 42 thousand hectares.
French President Emmanuel Macron held an emergency government meeting due to massive forest fires in the southwest of the country that threaten Bordeaux. Authorities report over 250,000 evacuees, and firefighters are preparing for a new heatwave that could complicate the fight against the flames, reports UNN citing CNN.
Details
Macron on Monday convened a crisis government meeting dedicated to the situation in the Gironde department, where a massive forest fire has already destroyed about 42,000 hectares of territory. After the meeting, the Elysee Palace announced that the president would personally visit the affected region.
According to the latest data, over 250,000 people have been evacuated from dangerous areas of France. At the same time, authorities are not yet planning the evacuation of Bordeaux itself, although the nearest fire front is approximately 15 kilometers from the city. Due to thick smoke, air quality has sharply deteriorated in Bordeaux and most of the Gironde region
Despite a light rain passing through the fire area overnight and temporarily stabilizing the spread of the flames, the fire has not yet been contained. French authorities warn that the situation could worsen in the near future due to a new heatwave.
French government spokesperson Maud Bregeon reported that military personnel have been sent to the region to protect industrial facilities where there is a risk of explosions and chemical accidents.
"To protect these facilities, very precise methods are needed. There is a risk of explosions, a chemical risk, and generally the dangers typical of industrial zones,"
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez emphasized that the fire remains stabilized but not controlled.
"The situation remains unfavorable and could worsen due to the approach of a new heatwave," he stated. According to him, since the beginning of summer, over 116,000 hectares have already burned in France, which is an unprecedented figure for the country.
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