Fire toll in France worsens: 116 thousand hectares have turned to ash since the beginning of the year

France is facing one of the most severe fire seasons in its history in 2026. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced that 13 thousand 566 fires have broken out across the country since the beginning of the year and more than 116 thousand hectares of land have burned.

According to Nunez's statement on the France 2 channel, the burned area is equivalent to approximately 11 times the size of Paris city center. The minister recalled that this figure has already surpassed the 70 thousand hectares that burned throughout the entire year in 2022, which was recorded as one of France's largest fire seasons.

The fires that began last week in the Gironde department in the southwest of the country remain one of the most critical issues. It was reported that 42 thousand hectares of land have burned in the region so far, and more than 2 thousand 500 firefighters along with 18 aircraft are participating in the response. Despite this, it was stated that the fire has not yet been brought under control.

In France, where the fire season began earlier than in previous years, fires in the Landes, Var, and Haute-Corse departments, as well as in Gironde, have been continuing for days.

According to information provided by authorities, more than 200 thousand people have been evacuated due to the fires. It is assessed that the risk of fire persists in many regions across the country due to high temperatures and drought conditions.