Prefect reports Gironde wildfires stabilized as some evacuated residents return home

Authorities in the Gironde department confirmed 14 fire reignitions on July 28, though prefect Sophie Brocas stated that "the fire is still stabilized." Following the assessment, officials permitted residents from Le Haillan and specific districts in Mérignac and Eysines to return to their homes, subject to safety precautions and potential re-evacuation orders.

Meanwhile, emergency personnel continue to tackle blazes near the Souge military camp with targeted aerial water drops, while local farmers persist in assisting firefighting operations across the region. Elsewhere in southern France, emergency services contained a separate wildfire at Gros Bessillon in the Var department.

The ongoing fires and widespread orange heatwave alerts across 16 departments have severely disrupted local economies, impacting around 13,000 businesses across affected areas.

Sources: Le Figaro, Le Monde.