Wildfires threaten wineries as blaze nears Bordeaux.
Wildfires have advanced towards the outskirts of Bordeaux as France battles blazes that have already forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate, with experts fearing this year’s vintage could be damaged by smoke taint.
More than 220,000 people have been evacuated in France, where fires have swept across the Cap Ferret peninsula on the Atlantic coast, a popular tourist destination, and spread through areas surrounding the city of Bordeaux.
Bordeaux Mayor Thomas Cazenave said the blaze was “at the gates of the metropolitan area”, coming within around 15 kilometres of the city. The Gironde prefect ordered the partial closure of a major motorway serving Bordeaux.
This morning, President Macron is holding a crisis meeting to discuss next steps regarding the blazes across southern France.
Despite the proximity of the fire, Cazenave said there were no plans to evacuate the city, which has a population of around 268,000.
Smoke taint concerns
Photo from @lesoir Thousands of firefighters, supported by specialised water-bombing aircraft, have been deployed to tackle the fast-moving fires and thick smoke. However, shifting winds and hot, dry conditions have hampered efforts to contain the blazes, which have burned out of control since midweek in the Gironde region.
The threat posed to Bordeaux’s vineyards is, so far, unclear. According to experts, smoke taint poses a major concern. This is when smoke particles cling to grape skins, resulting in an unwanted flavour that is believed to harm wine quality, particularly in red varieties.
On Saturday night, around 55,000 people were evacuated from villages south of Gironde, an area internationally regarded for its wine production.
Across Europe, wildfires have continued to burn amid prolonged heat and drought. France and Spain have together evacuated more than 330,000 people over the past week as emergency services battle multiple fires.
French authorities also confirmed that a man had been arrested on suspicion of breaking into an evacuated home and stealing 44 bottles of fine wine while residents had fled the fires.
Uncertain future
Interior minister Laurent Nunez told France 2 television that the situation remained critical. “We have a fire that is not under control and which is moving in the direction of the city area,” he said. “The overall situation is very unfavourable. We are in a situation that is unprecedented.”
Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas has called for visitors to avoid the region until conditions improve. “We urge tourists not to come to this region, at least until the situation is under control,” she said.
Sebastien Berge, head of the Gironde fire service, said the scale of the blaze made it particularly difficult to predict.
“When there’s a fire of this magnitude, it creates its own weather pattern. It’s difficult to monitor,” he said.
National emergency declared in Spain
Meanwhile, in Spain, where a national emergency has been declared, firefighters reported some progress as more favourable weather conditions helped slow merging wildfires outside Madrid.
Scientists say climate change is increasing the likelihood and intensity of extreme weather events such as heatwaves and wildfires.
Coming at the height of the summer holiday season, the fires have been fuelled by forests left tinder-dry after successive heatwaves and months of below-average rainfall.
Information from The Drinks Business
