French PM Sébastien Lecornu has been heckled by residents of Le Porge during a visit as Europe battles an unprecedented wave of wildfires.
The 200‑strong crowd at the town hall in southwestern France demanded accountability after 183 homes were destroyed in the region’s worst blaze. The organizer, Ludivine Daurignac, accused the government of ignoring local concerns and blocked the PM’s access.
In response, the chief minister announced €12 million (€10 million for Gironde and €2 million for Landes) to accelerate rebuilds, promising permits within a month and a “recovery plan” for the impacted communes.
Europe’s wildfire crisis has escalated, with the largest blazes seen in Belgium’s Hautes Fagnes, Greece’s Salamina and Spain’s Aragon. EU assistance is flowing in: Belgian authorities received air support from the Netherlands, Germany, Norway and Sweden, and France has dispatched 104 fire‑fighters with 36 vehicles to Spain’s Aragón region.
The disruptions have forced tens of thousands to evacuate tourist hotspots like Cap Ferret west of Bordeaux, and Greek authorities are urging residents to heed fire‑control warnings after 41 forest fires in the last day. The EU’s Copernicus system records Western Europe’s hottest June‑July period ever.
The rising fires underscore how climate change is reshaping emergency responses. The French authorities face growing pressure to increase transparency and public trust.
