By Marco Hugo Barsotti MHB 
You are listening to a new special of France Today in podcast and on Centrale Milano 1575 kHz.
Current situation
The blaze that started five days ago in Saumos has spread uncontrollably, now consuming more than forty‑four thousand hectares of forest in Gironde. The flames have reached the area of Martignas‑sur‑Jalle, about fifteen kilometres from the urban perimeter of Bordeaux, but for now the fire front has not yet brushed the western side of the city.
Mayor’s statements
Bordeaux mayor, Thomas Cazenave, reiterated in the noon discussion that the evacuation of the entire agglomeration “is not on the agenda”. He emphasized that, although the fire is close to the metropolis, the blaze is not advancing towards residential neighborhoods and therefore the measures to relocate the population remain suspended.
Evacuations and displaced persons
The prefecture reports that so far about two hundred twenty‑thousand people have been evacuated from the most threatened municipalities, with a peak of fifty‑five thousand new displaced persons on Saturday night. The number of confirmed individuals at the Bordeaux reception centre has fallen to around two thousand five hundred, compared with five‑six thousand the day before, thanks to a relocation plan toward more permanent facilities.
Interventions of the law enforcement and fire services
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the situation as “very unfavorable” and reported that the fire became extremely fierce and unpredictable during the early hours of the night. In total, more than five thousand one hundred operators have been mobilised, including five thousand Gironde fire fighters, about a thousand soldiers and numerous helicopters, starting with a military A400M aircraft assigned to their deployment in firefighting. The authorities have also closed a sixty‑kilometre stretch of the A63 motorway and temporarily suspended rail traffic south of Bordeaux.
Outlook and weather alert
Forecasts indicate the persistence of a heat wave in the coming week, with temperatures threatening to exceed forty‑eight degrees and dry winds blowing toward the affected area. Contact with the National Federation of Firefighters warns that operational capacities are at their limit and further imprudence could worsen the crisis. Meanwhile, authorities have confirmed a red alert status for forest fires, prohibiting the use of thermal and electric engines in risk zones and restricting pedestrian access in the most vulnerable forest massifs.
The fire, described as “the most devastating of the last fifty years” in France, will continue to burn until it is fully contained, leaving the region awaiting an uncertain outcome and further decisions from the competent authorities.
That’s all for now. From the Paris newsroom this is Rachel Costa: this is Radio Nice with Centrale Milano 1575 kHz.