Macron orders military mobilisation as wildfires spread in France

French President Emmanuel Macron has ordered the armed forces to mobilise to “strengthen civil security” as large-scale wildfires continue to spread in southwestern France, according to BMFTV.

Citing sources close to the presidency, the broadcaster reported that Macron also instructed the prime minister to activate an interministerial crisis unit to coordinate the response.

“As BFMTV learned from sources close to the president of the republic, Emmanuel Macron instructed the prime minister to activate an interministerial crisis unit, and the armed forces to mobilise to maximally reinforce civil security,” the channel said.

Overnight, Macron requested that the European Commission activate the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism for France, seeking additional support to combat the fires.

The European Commission said three firefighting aircraft and two helicopters from the RescEU fleet — the bloc’s shared emergency response resource — have been deployed to the southwest, primarily in the Gironde department. The EU’s Copernicus satellite service has also been activated to assist with real-time mapping of affected areas.

French media reported that the wildfire in Gironde is among the most severe in decades. Le Figaro described it as “the most devastating in the last 50 years in France.”

The blaze remains out of control, with authorities preparing to evacuate around 110,000 people. By Friday, the fire had spread across more than 14,000 hectares.

By Tamilla Hasanova