Firefighters in France hold back vast wildfire as heat returns to test their grip

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Play/PauseSPACE Increase Volume↑ Decrease Volume↓ Seek Forward→ Seek Backward← Captions On/Offc Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreenf Mute/Unmutem Decrease Caption Size- Increase Caption Size+ or = Seek %0-9 Next Up AP Top Stories July 22 00:58 00:00 00:38 00:38 More Videos 00:58 AP Top Stories July 22 01:03 Iran war's global effects: In Italy, a farmer battles rising costs of fuel and fertilizers 00:59 AP top stories July 25 01:00 AP top stories July 23 00:56 AP top stories July 27 01:56 Brad Paisley blends old and new songs on 'Tacklebox' collection 00:29 Moulin Rouge dancers perform cancan in Paris as the Tour De France comes to a close 00:35 Divers clean Christ of the Abyss statue on seabed off coast of Italy Close 1 of 6 | Helicopters scooped seawater off the coast of France on Monday to help in the battle against massive wildfires in southwest of the country. (AP video shot by: Mark Carlson) 2 of 6 | A group hold a firehose and try to suppress a fire near Lacanau, as wildfires rage outside Bordeaux, France, Monday, July 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner) 3 of 6 | A firefighter works to suppress flames near Lacanau, as wildfires rage outside Bordeaux, France, Monday, July 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner) 4 of 6 | France’s President Emmanuel Macron, center, speaks to the press next to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, left, after a visit to the departmental fire and rescue operational center (CODIS) in Bordeaux, France, following wildfires in the area, Monday July 27, 2026. (Kenzo Tribouillard/Pool Photo via AP) 5 of 6 | An Blackhawk helicopter lets a Bambi Bucket full of water go over a firezone near Lacanau, as wildfires rage outside Bordeaux, France, Monday, July 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner) 6 of 6 | firefighters work to suppress a fire near Lacanau, as wildfires rage outside Bordeaux, France, Monday, July 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner) Updated 9:38 AM MESZ, July 28, 2026 Leer en español Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Lege-Cap Ferret, France (AP) — firefighters kept a vast wildfire in southwest France from advancing overnight Tuesday, extinguishing flare-ups near Atlantic coast dunes before returning heat and drier air threatened to test their hold on the blaze. The fire remained stabilized at 6 a.m. after a calm night and the burned area was unchanged at 420 square kilometers (162 square miles), the Gironde prefecture said. Several flare-ups were detected overnight north of Le Porge and in dune land north of Cap Ferret but were brought under control by firefighters, authorities said. The areas lie along the Atlantic coast west of Bordeaux, where crews have battled the blaze since it erupted near Saumos last week. The blaze, raging since last week, has been wildly unpredictable, transforming at times into a self-feeding firestorm as it burned through an area four times the size of Paris and forced 220,000 people to flee their homes. Although its advance has been halted, officials have repeatedly cautioned that smoldering vegetation and falling humidity could trigger fresh outbreaks. firefighters and military engineers resumed work early Tuesday on tactical firebreaks designed to prevent the flames from spreading. Authorities said 103 kilometers (64 miles) of barriers had been created. Ninety-three firefighters have been injured during the operation, the prefecture said. A section of the A63 highway remained closed, while rail traffic south of Bordeaux was suspended except on the route toward Toulouse. French president pledges support on visit to fire zone, vows: ‘We will win this battle together’ 2 MIN READ More than 200,000 people flee raging wildfires in France and Spain, some escaping by boat 3 MIN READ Fire in Fontainebleau forest near Paris triggers evacuations; 10 still missing in Spanish wildfire 3 MIN READ Thousands of evacuees return home The cautious progress in Gironde came as thousands of people began returning home after a separate wildfire in the neighboring Landes region displaced more than 30,000 residents and vacationers. French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday evening that the Landes fire had been contained and regional authorities described it as “fixed,” meaning its advance had been stopped and no new fires were breaking out. About 15,000 people were authorized to return from Monday night to Sanguinet, Parentis-en-Born and some parts of Biscarrosse. Residents of Biscarrosse’s aviation village and a large campground were among those allowed back, although several other neighborhoods remained inaccessible. The return marked a significant step for communities that emptied as flames swept through forests and tourist areas during the height of the summer vacation season. Roads between Biscarrosse, Parentis-en-Born and Sanguinet reopened on a restricted basis for residents and essential travel. Authorities warned that the Landes fire was not fully extinguished. Residual hot spots, wind and drought could cause flare-ups, and surveillance and damping-down operations were expected to continue for days or possibly weeks. The improving picture in both areas faced a new challenge Tuesday as temperatures climbed again. France’s national weather service placed Gironde under a yellow heat warning from midday, forecasting inland temperatures of 33 to 35 C (91 to 95 F). Southeast winds were expected across the department, with westerly sea breezes along the coast. Successive heat waves have left forests and scrubland exceptionally dry, helping fuel fires in France and elsewhere in southern Europe.