Firefighters Gain Ground in French Wildfire, Residents Return Home

French authorities have allowed around 84,000 evacuees to return to their homes in southwest France after a major wildfire forced them out. This decision marks a positive shift in the battle against the fire, which has devastated an area four times the size of Paris. The return covers nine previously evacuated localities, while the total number of displaced people since last week exceeded 220,000.

Efforts to combat the wildfire have been aided by higher humidity levels, cooler temperatures, and some rainfall. Local officials reported a relatively calm night with no further expansion of the fire, which has already affected about 162 square miles. Firefighting teams remain fully mobilized, with 2,200 personnel and more than 20 aircraft engaged in operations. Rainfall was recorded early Thursday in Bordeaux, located east of the affected area.

Sophie Brocas, Gironde region’s prefect, expressed cautious optimism, noting that cooler temperatures could facilitate a return to normalcy for residents and businesses. A fire line was established near Lège-Cap-Ferret as part of local efforts to control the blaze.

The humidity reached 80% overnight but is expected to decrease by midday. Some coastal areas may experience rainfall capable of reaching the fire zones, according to local authorities. Temperatures, which reached 40°C (104°F) the previous day, are forecasted to drop to 27°C (80°F) along the coast. An orange heat wave alert, previously in effect, was lifted before dawn.

The situation in southwest France is part of a larger series of wildfires affecting southern Europe, including Spain and Greece. In Turkey, four provinces experienced forest fires as hot weather and strong winds continued to challenge firefighting efforts. Residents in touristic regions like Mugla and Antalya faced evacuations, with teams deploying planes and helicopters.

In Greece, three firefighters lost their lives on Crete, underscoring the widespread and severe nature of the wildfire crisis stretching from the Atlantic coast to the eastern Mediterranean. At the peak of evacuations, nearly a third of a million people in France and Spain had to leave their homes or vacation destinations.