Wildfire in Gironde brought under control for now, danger remains high
Local officials say the blaze did not spread during the day; about 3,300 firefighters remain engaged.
A large forest fire in the Gironde department of southwest France has been brought under control for now, local authorities said, but warned the risk of renewed flare-ups remains high.
Jean-Luc Gleyze, president of the Departmental Council of Gironde, said that roughly 3,300 firefighters continue to work on the ground to secure the area.
Helicopters and ground crews focused on remaining hotspots
Helicopters were deployed continuously to douse lingering embers while teams concentrated on cooling the soil and preventing any new outbreaks of fire.
Officials said that lower daytime temperatures and increased humidity after two days of extreme heat and drought had materially improved conditions for firefighting efforts.
The blaze has so far affected about 42,000 hectares. Authorities are hoping the more favourable weather will persist through the night to prevent a resurgence of the flames.
Photo: press material from the event
