France’s summer wildfires cause nearly €500 million in damage

France’s summer wildfires caused around 25,000 insurance claims and are estimated to have resulted in nearly €500 million in damage, Le Figaro reports, citing France Assureurs.

The initial assessment, based on claims recorded up to mid-August, reflects the “exceptional scale of the damage”, France Assureurs president Florence Lustman said. The total could increase as those affected have until August 31 to report their losses.

Around 21,000 claims involved private individuals, including the cost of temporary accommodation for some of the 30,000 people ordered to evacuate their homes.

Nearly 3,000 claims were filed by professionals, including tradespeople, retailers, businesses and farmers, as well as local authorities. More than 1,800 concerned business interruption, with losses estimated at nearly €30 million. In most cases, businesses suffered no direct material damage.

The cost of this summer’s fires is significantly higher than that of France’s 2022 forest fires, which generated around 2,000 claims and €80 million in losses between June and September.

Nearly 100,000 hectares of forest have burned in France this summer, marking a 20-year record based on satellite measurements. The largest fire occurred in Gironde in mid-July, destroying 42,000 hectares. The blaze killed no one but destroyed 180 homes in the village of Le Porge.

During a visit to the region in mid-August, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced €12 million in immediate aid, tax relief for affected businesses and faster planning procedures for homes to be rebuilt.

By Aghakazim Guliyev