France’s wildfires scorch record 100,000 hectares in 2026

Wildfires have ravaged around 100,000 hectares of land across France so far this year, marking the worst annual figure in two decades of satellite-based monitoring, BFMTV reports.

The scale of the destruction represents a record since satellite observations tracking areas affected by wildfires began 20 years ago.

The Gironde department in southwestern France has suffered the most severe damage, with tens of thousands of hectares of forest destroyed by fires.

Authorities continue to monitor fire-prone areas as high temperatures and dry conditions increase the risk of further outbreaks.

By Vafa Guliyeva