French PM heckled in Gironde as wildfires destroy 183 homes

French Prime Minister heckled in Gironde as wildfires destroy 183 homes

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu faced heckling during a visit to Le Porge in Gironde, where wildfires have destroyed 183 homes and local residents gathered at the town hall to demand answers, his office said on Monday.

Lecornu announced €12m in aid—€10m for Gironde and €2m for Landes—to support recovery projects and said building permits for equivalent reconstruction of destroyed homes would be issued within a month or sooner, according to his office.

Residents at the town hall accused authorities of blocking access and of refusing a meeting; organiser Ludivine Daurignac said they plan to file complaints seeking “truth, transparency, and justice,” AFP reported.

Tensions rose after large-scale evacuations from the Cap Ferret peninsula last month as fires spread across Gironde. Local accounts questioned operational choices, including why some firefighters left to defend the tip of Ferret while volunteer crews remained.

Across Europe, firefighting efforts continued: Belgium battled a large blaze in the Hautes Fagnes nature reserve with international air support expected from the Netherlands, Germany, Norway and Sweden; Greece reported 41 forest fires in 24 hours with evacuations and two deaths on Salamina island; Spain and Portugal faced fires on their border; Croatia arrested four suspects over fires in Zadar after at least one death and many injuries; and the European Commission deployed French firefighting resources to Aragón, Spain.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The visit highlighted local anger over fire management and the demand for accountability, while EU and bilateral assistance continued to support firefighting and recovery. Official aid packages and international resources were mobilised as authorities reported ongoing containment efforts and evacuations in multiple countries.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu was heckled during a visit to Le Porge in Gironde.
• Wildfires destroyed 183 homes in Gironde; €12m aid announced for Gironde and Landes.
• Evacuations and international firefighting assistance continued across Belgium, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Croatia.