Since 22 July, an exceptionally large wildfire has been raging across the Gironde and Landes regions. Nearly 200,000 people have been evacuated – the largest evacuation operation of its kind ever carried out in France. The ADRA network has launched an emergency response: our branch in Bordeaux is distributing cash vouchers and relief parcels to affected families.
The fire broke out in the early afternoon of Wednesday, 22 July, in Saumos, at the heart of the Gascogne forest. Within five days, it had devastated around 40,000 hectares and is now threatening the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula. A second major fire is burning near Biscarrosse, where more than 3,500 hectares have already been consumed by the flames.
The human toll has, so far, been close to miraculous: there have been no civilian fatalities. However, 84 firefighters have been injured, and several hundred homes have been destroyed across the two regions. On the ground, 2,500 firefighters, 1,500 soldiers, 1,200 police officers and 450 volunteers from recognised civil protection organisations are working tirelessly to contain the fires, supported by 18 aircraft.
Nationally, 2026 has already become a record-breaking year: since January, almost 100,000 hectares have been destroyed by wildfires.
Ten minutes to evacuate – and what happens next?
What makes this disaster particularly striking is the sheer scale of the population displacement. Nearly 200,000 people – local residents, holidaymakers and care home residents – have been evacuated to safety, with tens of thousands moved in a single night. The Nouvelle-Aquitaine region has made more than 500 boarding school beds available in secondary schools, while municipalities around the Arcachon Bay and along the Landes coast have established emergency reception centres.
Emergency shelter has been secured. What comes afterwards is far more concerning.
Many families fled within minutes – without identity documents, without money, and in some cases without even putting on shoes. They are unlikely to return home for several weeks. Fire authorities in Gironde have warned that the wildfire could continue for months, as it continues to smoulder beneath the peat soils of the Gascogne forest.
Alongside this humanitarian crisis comes a severe economic shock. In Gironde alone, more than 13,000 businesses have had to evacuate. Seasonal tourism workers, oyster farmers and employees in the timber industry are among the thousands of households that have suddenly lost their income at the height of the summer season.
The gap that nobody sees
Contrary to popular belief, France’s natural disaster insurance scheme does not cover wildfires. Damage to buildings falls under standard home insurance policies, requiring assessment, claims processing and compensation. While this system functions as intended, it takes weeks – and sometimes months.
Between evacuation and the first insurance payment, a critical gap emerges.
It is into this gap that the uninsured or underinsured, people in insecure employment, older people living alone and single-parent families often fall. Within a matter of weeks, many will have no means to replace the glasses left behind on a bedside table, buy essential medication or pay for the fuel needed to reach temporary accommodation.
This is precisely where ADRA steps in.
Two practical forms of assistance from Bordeaux
The ADRA network has been asked to provide exceptional emergency assistance. Our Bordeaux office is working in partnership with the French authorities and the municipal social services of the affected communities to deliver two complementary forms of support.
Cash vouchers to help families regain their footing
The vouchers can be used as a means of payment in participating local shops, enabling families to purchase exactly what they need: toiletries, clothing, infant formula, nappies, non-reimbursable medicines and fuel.
This approach has been chosen deliberately. People who have lost everything know better than anyone else what they need most. Cash vouchers avoid the indignity of one-size-fits-all aid packages, adapt to the specific circumstances of each household and also support local businesses as they begin to reopen after the disaster. It is emergency assistance that preserves dignity while helping communities recover.
Essential relief parcels for immediate needs (current assessment)
Not every urgent need can be met through local shops. For people staying in collective shelters, for families returning to homes without electricity, and in places where businesses remain closed, the distribution of relief parcels remains essential.
Our teams are preparing food parcels containing long-life food, drinking water and items that require neither cooking nor refrigeration. These are complemented by hygiene kits and essential supplies for babies. Distribution takes place close to the emergency reception centres and is coordinated with the organisations already operating on the ground to avoid duplication of effort.
You can donate to this response through ADRA France – and bring tangible hope to people affected. Incendies du Sud‑Ouest : ADRA se mobilise – ADRA France
Source: translated into english – original by ADRA Switzerland, Waldbrände in Frankreich – ADRA hilft | ADRA Schweiz