Key points
- Around 42,000 hectares have burned in Gironde since the fires began.
- About 15,000 people near Biscarrosse have been allowed to return home.
- Sections of the A63 remain closed or restricted south of Bordeaux.
- Long-distance traffic is being diverted via the A62, A65 and A64 through Langon and Pau.
- Spain’s weather service, Aemet, is warning of a very high or extreme wildfire risk.
After almost a week of severe fires, officials in south-west France reported a tentative improvement. Authorities said the fire near Saumos, west of Bordeaux, had not expanded in recent days, although it had not been extinguished.
Gironde prefecture said on Monday that the situation had stabilised but remained difficult.
Authorities estimate that about 42,000 hectares of woodland and scrub have burned since the outbreak. More than 220,000 residents and holidaymakers have been evacuated since the fires began.
In the Landes department, about 15,000 people have been allowed to return to areas near Biscarrosse that had previously been evacuated.
During a visit to Bordeaux, French President Emmanuel Macron described the fires as the country’s “most violent wildfires since the end of the Second World War”.
About 2,500 firefighters, military personnel and firefighting aircraft are involved in the response, according to officials. France is also receiving international assistance, with Romania deploying additional firefighting teams to the Var department.
A63 closures cause delays near Bordeaux and Bayonne
The fires continue to disrupt the road network. The Pyrénées-Atlantiques prefecture and other authorities said sections of the A63 towards Bordeaux remained closed.
The Saint-Pierre-d’Irube junction, junction 1 on the A64, was also closed to traffic approaching from Toulouse.
The restrictions have caused long queues and significant delays around Bayonne. Authorities have advised motorists to postpone non-essential journeys where possible and allow additional travel time.
Vehicles travelling towards Spain are being diverted locally via the RD6635 and the Ametzondo viaduct before joining the A64 towards Toulouse. Traffic is then directed to leave at the Mouguerre junction, junction 1.1, and rejoin the A64 towards Bayonne.
Further north, sections of the A63 south of Bordeaux remain closed or restricted because of the fires. Long-distance traffic is being diverted via the A62, A65 and A64 through Langon and Pau.
Further heatwave increases fire risk in Spain
Fire conditions also remain severe in Spain. Areas particularly affected include the province of Ávila, west of Madrid, and nearby parts of the Madrid and Castile-La Mancha regions.
Authorities said more than 80,000 hectares of woodland and scrub had burned and about 90,000 people had been evacuated as a precaution.
In Castellón province, fire crews are also tackling a major blaze that has led to the evacuation of about 16,000 people.
Conditions could deteriorate again as another heatwave develops. On Tuesday, Spain’s Interior Ministry issued heat warnings covering 13 autonomous communities.
Orange alerts applied to Andalusia, Aragon, Castile-La Mancha, Extremadura, Galicia and the Basque Country. Yellow alerts covered Asturias, Cantabria, Castile and León, Catalonia, Madrid, Navarre and La Rioja.
Aemet forecast temperatures of up to 40°C in parts of the country.
According to the European Forest Fire Information System, Spain has already recorded more than twice the area burned in an average full year.
Dozens of roads affected in Spain
Wildfires are also disrupting road traffic across Spain. The national traffic authority, DGT, reported that 52 road sections had recently been closed because of fires.
The disruption was concentrated on regional and inter-regional roads in Ávila, Madrid, Toledo and Castellón, including the N-403, M-539 and M-540.
🔥🚨 Incendio forestal en Cerro Muriano (Córdoba) 🔥🚨
Fuego originado en un camión de paja.
La carretera N-432 permanece abierta con paso alternativo, al tener cortado un carril, registrando retenciones normales de tráfico; mientras que la carretera N-432a está cortada por… pic.twitter.com/rQzrOBjs3W
— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) July 24, 2026
However, no widespread closures were reported on the main international transit corridors. Authorities are managing restrictions locally and have warned that conditions may change as the fires develop.
DGT is publishing updates on closures and traffic conditions through its traffic information service.
Fire risk remains high in France and Spain
Authorities in France and Spain have not issued an all-clear. Although some evacuation orders have been lifted and the spread of several fires has slowed, temperatures of up to 40°C and continued dry conditions could cause further outbreaks or flare-ups.
The A63 corridor between Bordeaux and the Spanish border remains among the routes most seriously affected.
Hauliers and other cross-border operators should allow additional time for journeys and prepare for diversions. Authorities recommend checking the latest information from Bison Futé, the relevant French prefectures and Spain’s DGT before departure, as traffic restrictions and local management measures may change at short notice.
