France's wildfire situation showed signs of easing on Thursday morning, with officials reporting calmer conditions across several major fire zones.

More than 92,000 hectares have burned across France since January, already making 2026 the country's worst year for wildfire damage since satellite monitoring began two decades ago.

Scientists say prolonged drought, exceptionally dry vegetation and increasingly frequent heatwaves linked to climate change have significantly increased the risk and intensity of wildfires across southern Europe.

The country's largest wildfire since 1949, which has burned around 42,000 hectares in the Gironde département, remained stable overnight, while separate fires in the Var and the Fontainebleau forest near Paris have also been brought under control.

Gironde fire stable

The fire has not expanded beyond the estimated 42,000 hectares already destroyed, although six active hotspots remain, including near the Grand-Crohot dunes in Lège-Cap-Ferret and south of Lacanau.

Weather conditions are expected to improve significantly, with temperatures forecast to fall to between 27C and 34C after exceeding 40C on Wednesday. Light rain is also expected along parts of the Atlantic coast, while the orange heatwave alert for the département was lifted early on Thursday.

The Préfet of Gironde, Sophie Brocas, said that if the improved weather continues, authorities could soon begin allowing more residents to return home.

More than 220,000 people have been evacuated from 24 communes since the fire began, although around 57,000 residents from three towns near Bordeaux have already been authorised to return.

Emergency services cautioned that the danger is not yet over. Marc Vermeulen, head of the Gironde fire service (SDIS 33), said firefighters would need several more days to extinguish hotspots and secure the approximately 240 kilometres of burned forest edge.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez is due to chair a national crisis meeting on Thursday morning to review the wildfire situation across France.

During the night, two people were arrested on suspicion of deliberately starting fires, although authorities have not released further details.

Fire near Brignoles brought under control

In the Var département, a wildfire that broke out south-east of Brignoles on Wednesday evening has now been contained.

Civil Protection spokesperson Colonel Jérôme Boulanger told France Info that the blaze was declared "fixed" at around 5.30am on Thursday after burning around 100 hectares.

More than 600 people were evacuated as a precaution after the fire started.

Fontainebleau flare-up contained

Firefighters also succeeded overnight in containing a flare-up in the Fontainebleau forest, south of Paris.

Around 100 firefighters remained on site on Thursday as a precaution after the burned area was revised down to around six hectares following assessments carried out with the National Forestry Office (ONF).

The Fontainebleau forest was already heavily affected by wildfire earlier this month, when more than 2,000 hectares burned.