Germany sends firefighting aircraft, crews to help France battle wildfires

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Saturday that Germany is sending aircraft and emergency crews to help France battle major wildfires in the southwest.

“I am in close contact with (French President) Emmanuel Macron. We are sending assistance to the wildfire-affected areas in France to support our neighbors. A helicopter, an A400 aircraft and emergency personnel are on their way,” Merz wrote on US social media platform X.

“Thank you very much, Germany,” Macron replied in German.

Wildfires burning since Wednesday in the southwestern Gironde department have scorched more than 30,000 hectares (74,131 acres) and forced nearly 170,000 people to evacuate.

Authorities said the blaze was advancing toward the Bordeaux metropolitan area, while fires were also continuing in the neighboring Landes department.

Nearly 98,000 hectares have burned in France as of Saturday, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, who described the figure as a historic record.