France: Firefighting efforts continue in Gironde, France (2).

RESTRICTION: USERS MUST CREDIT "GIRONDE FIRE DEPARTMENT" HANDOUT —EDITORIAL USE ONLY— SHOTLIST GIRONDE, FRANCE (RELEASED ON JULY 29, 2026) (GIRONDE FIRE DEPARTMENT - RESTRICTED) 1. VARIOUS OF BURNT FOREST, FIREFIGHTERS WORKING ON FIRE LINE AND WATER BOMBERS CARRYING OUT AERIAL DROPSGIRONDE, FRANCE - RELEASED ON JULY 29 - RESTRICTION: USERS MUST CREDIT "GIRONDE FIRE DEPARTMENT" HANDOUT —EDITORIAL USE ONLY—: Firefighting operations continued against a wildfire in France's Gironde department on Tuesday, July 28, as emergency crews worked to contain the blaze. Footage released by the National Federation of Firefighters of France showed firefighters operating near the fire line as thick smoke billowed above the burning forest. Firefighters remained deployed as response efforts continued in the wildfire-affected area. In southwestern France, authorities evacuated around 4,000 people from campsites in Lacanau, according to the Gironde prefecture. The Gironde megafire remained stabilized but uncontrolled after burning 42,000 hectares (103,784 acres) since July 22, with no increase in the affected area overnight, local authorities said. Temperatures were forecast to reach 35C (95F) in Gironde and 37C (98.6F) in the neighboring Landes department, while changing wind directions could make the fire’s behavior difficult to predict. Around 2,750 firefighters, 1,500 military personnel, 1,440 members of the security forces and 18 aircraft were deployed to battle the blaze. - ‘Authorities remain on full alert’ Extending the restrictions requested by Gironde prefecture, rail operator SNCF announced that high-speed trains will not run Wednesday south of Bordeaux except those serving Toulouse and Tarbes. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced late Tuesday that the fire in the southeastern Var department was contained after burning nearly 4,800 hectares (11,861 acres) since July 21. "Authorities remain on full alert: surveillance operations, efforts to secure and treat the 160 kilometers (99 miles) of the fire perimeter, and other safety measures are continuing to prevent any flare-ups," he wrote on US social media platform X. Nunez also announced that a suspected arsonist had been arrested and placed in pretrial detention. Authorities announced throughout the day that the residents of several evacuated municipalities across Var and Gironde could begin returning to their homes. Seven French departments were placed under an orange alert for a high risk of forest fires.