Deadly forest fire season 2026 in France: firefighters at the limit, a profession at the end of its tether

dossier

Brûlons le Capitalisme, pas les Forêts - Lass uns den Kapitalsmus verbrennen, nicht die Wälder (Gewerkschaft Solidaires in Frankreich) “Since the beginning of the summer, three colleagues have died in action. Locally, fatigue is spreading at fire stations, while authorities themselves are now acknowledging the unprecedented scale of the crisis. The CFDT SDIS points out that appreciation is no longer enough: funds are needed. Two 34-year-old firefighters died on July 21 when they became trapped in their tanker truck while battling a particularly intense pine forest fire near Bordeaux airport. A third colleague has died since the beginning of the summer. In the wake of this new tragedy, both professional and volunteer firefighters have spoken out in the press: exhaustion, staff shortages, inadequate equipment…” French.Report from Cfdt Sdis (fire and rescue services) dated July 24, 2026 externer Link (machine translated) with video – see more about the not-so-new problem:

Firefighters - on strike from September 8th to October 20th - are coming out in particularly large numbers on September 29th for the strike in the French public sector
““The fire brigade is overloaded with personnel: our services can no longer function properly due to the reduction in public service personnel," Michaël Pacanowski, chairman of the national fire brigade union SPASDIS-CFTC, recently explained to us. For this reason, our CFTC members are mobilizing at the fire brigade on September 29th together with our other activists in the public service. Ludovic Goblet, vice president of the national fire brigade union SPASDIS-CFTC, addresses the serious material and personnel shortages here which the firefighters have to contend with…” French.Report dated September 29, 2026 from the CFTC (“Strike in the public sector: After the major forest fires in the summer, the firefighters are deployed in large numbers on September 29th,” machine translated) – see also the strikeWhen austerity hits everyday life in France, civil servants, firefighters and students come together, for the first time on September 29thand there in particular Bernard Schmid's comments on the fire brigade's strike. See below for information about the strike from September 8th to October 20th
Strike like the fire brigade: In France, the professional fire brigade is on strike, and participation in the strike is high.
"Imagine calling the fire brigade - and it doesn't happen. This scenario is not yet a threat in France, despite a long-lasting strike to which professional firefighters are called; it began on September 8th. The staff is called on to take industrial action until October 20th. This was preceded by a warning strike on August 13th. (...) The firefighters will continue to carry out their most important tasks despite strikes; this includes, in addition to extinguishing Rescue missions, for example in the event of traffic accidents or heart attacks, cannot simply be avoided (…) In France there are around 44,000 full-time firefighters with employment contracts emerged from the experiences of this year's extreme fire summer with its forest fires, which highlighted the sometimes severe shortage of personnel and the understaffing of many fire brigade barracks and emergency vehicles (...) Strike participants also point out that there is a lack of material to protect the health of the emergency services. "We breathe in toxic gases and fumes through a cheap head mask for ten euros," the regional newspaper Midi libre in southern France quoted strikers in the fire department on Saturday Place de la Comédie in Montpellier.(…) There are also demands for better protection for firefighters through professional and statutory health insurance companies as well as for increases in earnings; The entire public service has had to accept several zero wage cuts in recent years. A highlight of the fire brigade strike is scheduled to take place on September 29th - on that day other sectors of the public service in France will also be on strike. The day of the strike in Paris is to be preceded by a three-day long demonstration by firefighters, a kind of vigil on the centrally located Place de la République. On September 29th, there will also be defensive battles against social cuts in the budget law for 2027 that is currently being planned. In addition to savings in the public sector, the government also plans to restrict continued payment of wages for victims of work-related accidents and occupational diseases and save 270 million euros, which is causing particular outrage. The budget law for the current year already contained some social cruelties, such as increasing the deductible for medication for those with health insurance..." Article by Bernhard Schmid in Jungle.World from September 17, 2026
Enough promises, we want action! Firefighters unions announce nationwide protests including strikes from September 8th to October 20th
“Forest fires, natural disasters, increasing operational demands, staff shortages and a financial situation of the fire and rescue services that is on the verge of collapse: after a particularly stressful summer in 2026, the employees of the fire and rescue services now expect more than just promises.
From September 8th to October 20th, 2026, the trade union association is calling for mobilization.
For Sébastien Bouvier, CFDT Federal Secretary responsible for the fire and rescue services, this mobilization has become necessary: “This is the only way we have to make our voices heard.” (…)
A nationwide strike notice from September 8th to October 20th
The Trade Union Association of Fire and Rescue Service Employees has therefore submitted a notice of strike to the Minister of the Interior, which applies to all SIS personnel, regardless of their status, career, employment group or rank. The announcement is valid for the period from September 8th to October 20th, 2026, from midnight to 11:59 p.m.
It allows any form of protest, including work stoppages.
The aim is to achieve concrete commitments in three key areas: the law to modernize civil defense, the budget law for 2027 and an agreement on health, safety and the professional fire service…” French.Report from Cfdt Sdis (fire brigade and rescue services) from August 28, 2026 (machine translated). See also:
- The anger of the firefighters
  “France is burning. But President Emmanuel Macron is racing over the waves on his jet ski. Now there is resistance.
  For 29 days, 1,000 firefighters fought to the point of exhaustion to save the Provence villages between Aix and Draguignan from the flames. This didn't work everywhere, and they risked everything: at a critical moment, leaping fire surrounded around four dozen of the red trucks and their crews. An aerial water bombardment saved them at the last minute.
  President Brumm-Brumm
  Meanwhile, President Emmanuel Macron raced over the waves of the Mediterranean on a jet ski within smelling distance of the fire, in a macho pose and pilot look, for a photo on the front page of “Paris Match”. These machines burn 60 to 80 liters of fuel per hour. Macron loves provocations like this. He signals that we successful people do whatever we want. Even if we set the world on fire. (…)
  The exhausted firefighters loudly vent their anger. Four of them died in the fires. The 250,000 Pompiers in France (20 percent women) are organized into nine unions. For the first time they have come together. They used a warning strike to force a discussion with the government on August 13th. They came with a big pack of complaints: Too few staff. No safe protective clothing. Missing fire engines, although large fires (more than 30 hectares) have increased by 3,000 percent in 20 years. Social dumping: Professional rescuers who wanted to help in the south were encouraged to take vacations and register as “volunteers.” Because they only cost 7 francs an hour (a trade unionist: “And we should risk our lives for that?”).
  Above all, the lack of air support almost led to the disaster in Bordeaux. At times, half the fleet of efficient but outdated Canadair firefighting aircraft was not operational. Macron had promised new ones years ago - but immediately shelved the project.
  In public, his ministers react angrily to accusations. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez on the radio: “We are well prepared. Stop this France-bashing now!” Nuñez is knowingly lying. Unfortunately for him, a trade unionist had recorded a meeting. We hear the minister admit the lack of funds. The fire fighter responded: “What if someone calls 18 soon and no one comes?” 18 is the number of the fire department. The Pompiers have now called a nationwide strike for September 28th…”Article by Oliver Fahrni from September 1, 2026 in work – Unia newspaper (with an outdated strike date, however)
After the protests on August 13th, the fire service unions, disappointed by the Interior Minister, are calling for the next mobilization lasting several days at the end of September
- The firefighters, “disappointed” by their meeting with Laurent Nuñez, are calling for a mobilization on September 29th
  “The Minister of the Interior, who also spoke after this meeting on the afternoon of August 13th, announced that the bill to modernize civil defense would be presented on September 8th.
  The fire is far from being extinguished. The professional firefighters, who were “ very disappointed ” with the promises made by the Minister of the Interior to demand more resources in the middle of the wildfire season in Place Beauvau, called on Thursday August 13 for a nationwide mobilization in September. In the midst of a summer marked by the major fires in France, the nine representative unions of the fire and rescue services (SDIS), which had formed a union federation, were welcomed for almost two hours by Laurent Nuñez at the Ministry of the Interior.With three main demands: more resources in view of the explosive increase in the number of missions, a massive increase in the number of professional fire brigade personnel - currently there are around 44,000, not counting volunteers - and the rapid adoption of a bill to modernize civil defense."The minister didn't show up, we didn't receive a concrete answer. We have no commitments whatsoever - neither on financing, nor on the financing strategy, nor on the content of the bill," complained Xavier Boy, spokesman for the trade union federation, after the meeting. “For years the missions have been increasing, the crises are increasing, the risks and society are changing, but the resources are not keeping pace,” he lamented.The unions, who are “very disappointed”, have therefore called for “intensive mobilization” on September 29th on the occasion of the public service day of action. The professional firefighters were previously planning a “static demonstration” (“manifestation statique”) on September 26th, 27th and 28th at the Place de la République in Paris, said David Saquet of the Unsa Sapeurs-pompiers union, who wore a badge with the inscription “on strike” on his chest…” French.Contribution from August 13, 2026 by and at “La Tribune Dimanche” with AFP (machine translated)
- “Manifestation statique” is planned for September 26th-28th at the place de la République and a demonstration on September 29th in Paris
- The spokesman for the fire brigade unions criticizes the tug of war between the state and the departments over the financing of the SDIS
  “After a day of protests, firefighter union representatives said they were “disappointed” at their meeting with the Interior Minister and denounced institutional obstacles.“One has the impression that the departments want to charge the government for all the financial resources that are withdrawn from them,” lamented Xavier Boy on Franceinfo on Friday. He is the spokesman for an alliance of nine unions that were received by Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez the day before.
  The fire department was on duty on Thursday to call for more resources, personnel and equipment. However, the spokesman for the fire brigade unions regrets that “no concrete decisions” were made at the meeting with the Interior Minister. "Nothing! We weren't given any information about strategy or financing," he sighs. What we want to know is: what is the course? What civil protection do we want for our fellow French citizens?" he explains, but "we don't have an answer." The unions are particularly demanding “legal obligations to increase the number of skilled workers in the departments,” explains Xavier Boy. (…) After this meeting with Laurent Nuñez, which was perceived as unsatisfactory, the firefighters will hold a “static demonstration” (“manifestation statique”) on the Place de la République in Paris on September 26th, 27th and 28th to invite the population and the deputies to meet with them and learn about their demands – before the demonstration on September 29th.“Frencheditorial article from August 14, 2026 on franceinfo.fr (machine translated)
- The striking firefighters see red and demand more resources
  “As this summer's fires have already devastated tens of thousands of hectares, firefighters are demanding more human and material resources. After a meeting at the Ministry of the Interior that was rated as disappointing, the unions announced a new mobilization campaign for the start of the new school year…”Video and interview from August 13, 2026 on franceinfo.fr (machine translated)
- “The resources are not enough”: The fire brigade unions are calling for a demonstration on September 29th
  “This Thursday, August 13, a union federation representing firefighters and personnel in the sector denounced the “inadequate resources” during a press conference. He announces an “intense mobilization” and a call for a demonstration next September 29th in Paris. In front of the cameras, Xavier Boy, spokesman for the union federation, announced an "intense mobilization, certainly the largest that the fire service profession has ever experienced" and a call for a demonstration next September 29 in Paris. The trade union alliance is also planning “a standing demonstration on September 26th, 27th and 28th at the Place de la République in Paris”.
  Massive new hires, health protection…
  At the press conference following that meeting, Xavier Boy explained that the fire department “cannot indefinitely compensate for the deficiencies of a system that has reached its limits.”The trade union federation announces "five key demands": a "law to modernize civil defense", "a massive recruitment of professional firefighters and technical and administrative staff", "a budget that ensures the protection of the health of our employees", "the immediate start of negotiations with the Minister of the Interior on working conditions" and a "fair law on the financing of social security" to take into account their demands in the area of pensions…” French.Report from August 13, 2026 on BFM-TV (machine translated)
- There is also mobilization on La Réunion:Fire brigade: Is there an operation on La Réunion on September 29th to demand more resources from the state?
  “A new union mobilization is underway at the Réunion fire department. Several trade union organizations that are not part of the current cross-union alliance formed for the mobilization in Paris want to set up their own local trade union alliance…” French.editorial message from August 14, 2026 on Clicanoo (machine translated)
- Urgent: Civil defense on the verge of collapse: Joint statement from the fire and rescue service unions to the Minister of the Interior
  “The representative trade union organizations of the SDIS (professional fire brigade as well as administrative, technical and specialist staff) were welcomed today for a meeting by the Minister of the Interior Laurent Nuñez as part of our strike announcement.
  Given the gravity of the situation, the trade union federation has spoken out with one voice to denounce the wait-and-see attitude of the authorities and to demand concrete measures and decisions.
  An alarming statement: “The limits of our model have been reached.”
  The summer of 2026 will once again put our emergency services to a tough test: hundreds of thousands of evacuations, destroyed homes, hundreds of injured colleagues and – tragically – the loss of four of them. Given this high number of victims and property damage, there is great anger locally. It is the result of decades of postponements, half-hearted administrative actions and a growing gap between official statements and the daily reality in our rescue centers, our operations centers and our support services.
  Our demands to the minister:
  – An end to the fire brigade relieving the burden on emergency rooms: The rescue service (SAMU) must no longer view the fire brigade as an auxiliary force. Firefighters and victims should not have to wait longer than 8 hours in hospital emergency rooms. The territorial agreement must reorient the fire department towards its core task: the rescue service.
  – Recognition of ALL employees
  – Concrete implementation and upgrading of the compensation for operational mobilization (IMO).
  – Concrete implementation of the standard public service tables in our area.
  – Appropriate recognition of PATS (administrative, technical and professional staff) – essential links in the chain that are too often forgotten.
  – Adequate resources and investments: In the last 20 years, more than 1,000 tankers used to fight forest fires have disappeared from the fleet. There is an urgent need to invest, modernize and stop postponing decisions under the pretext of budgetary constraints…” French.Joint declaration of August 13, 2026 at the Cfdt Sdis (machine translated) – that was before the meeting…
- Not just in summer. France: Firefighters go on strike in the hot summer for better equipment and higher staffing ratios
  “…The most important newspapers and radios in France are of course sympathetic towards the firefighters, as their industrial action does not express irresponsibility towards the summer of heat and fire caused by climate change, but also by arson. Quite the opposite: The industrial dispute, which is being conducted amicably by an unprecedented phalanx of nine differently oriented unions, all relevant in the sector, is precisely about the lack of financial, material and personnel resources in the fire department and the insufficient foresight of those in government.
  "The hood of the uniform we are currently using has neither a gas nor a fine dust filter and is therefore dangerous," explained Cyrille Albanese from the "autonomous" (non-confederated, i.e. not affiliated to an umbrella organization) fire union SSP-PATS 34 in the Montpellier area to the radio station France Info. For its part, the CGT branch union for public services - FNME-CGT - draws a parallel in a communiqué to the dramatic consequences of austerity policy in the forestry authorities, but also in hospitals. The spokesman for the left-wing alternative union SUD SDIS, Rémy Chabbouh, called for the recruitment of 5,000 firefighters per year over the next three years.
  Interior Minister Nuñez has so far rejected the demands, pointing to the planned purchase of new Canadair firefighting aircraft - this summer, Turkey and Croatia, among others, loaned them to France. And that the budget for “civil defense” in connection with fires has been increased “by 93 percent” since 2017. However, the number of hectares of forest burned increased tenfold in the same period.”Article by Bernard Schmid in the young world from August 18, 2026
The union alliance of the French fire and rescue services is calling for a strike on August 13th against overwork, a lack of staff and dilapidated equipment
“Emergency services in danger: Why the strike on August 13th is a duty for everyone
It's no longer just about working conditions. It's about public safety, about respect and about the survival of the public service.
Justifiable anger, general dissatisfaction
As announced on August 7th, the professional firefighters (SPP) and the administrative, technical and professional staff (PATS) of the French Fire Services (SDIS) will go on strike this Thursday, August 13th.
This mobilization is not spontaneous. It is the alarm call of men and women who protect the population every day, but who are failing the state in the face of operational overload, a lack of personnel and dilapidated equipment. (…)
ONE MUST BE CLEAR: WE DON'T WANT A NEW MISSION THAT IS JUST TO GAIN TIME!
We also don’t want an umpteenth “beauvau of civil defense” that completely ignores the realities on the ground: the chronic shortage of personnel in the fire department and the PATS. The glaring lack of material resources, be it on the ground or in the air.
WE WANT CONCRETE MEASURES, NOW!
Clear demands for the safety of everyone
This strike aims not only to defend the working conditions of employees, but above all to drastically increase the level of safety for all citizens.
The national trade union alliance has three fundamental demands:
– Sustainable, fair and ambitious funding to meet the increasing number of crises and the ever-increasing number of operations.
– An extensive recruitment of SPP and PATS employees within the framework of civil service law, which ensures the security of operations and the continuity of the public service.
– The health and safety of employees is a top national priority (prevention of occupational risks, protection against toxins and attacks).
August 13: The starting point of the balance of power
In France, experience has shown us that unfortunately it is not possible for our authorities to achieve anything without provoking a conflict.
August 13th will be the trigger for all measures that will lead us to practice our profession with dignity and ensure the safety of everyone.
A solemn warning to those in power: Although we do not forget the professional appointments in December, you can be sure that we do not lose sight of your election dates (Senate, presidential, parliamentary and cantonal elections). Anyone who ignores civil protection today will suffer the political consequences tomorrow.
From the pioneer to the auditor general: EVERYONE IN OPERATION!
Whether you are on duty or off duty, SPP or PATS, in the field or in the office, this battle affects each of us.On August 13th, let us make our voices heard by all legal means…” French.Call to Cfdt Sdis (machine translated) with the inter-union appeal of the Intersyndicale Nationale des organizations syndicales représentant les personnels des Services d'Incendie et de Secours (National Federation of Trade Unions Representing Fire and Rescue Services Personnel)
Fires: An overview of offers of help and resources for affected workers
“On this page you will find the latest information on the forest fire crisis in France, particularly the fires in the Gironde and the Landes, as well as the impact on the work and working conditions of the workers affected…” French.CFDT dossier last updated on August 6, 2026
The “Housing for All” platform in France calls for solidarity with those affected by climate-related fires and overheated homes and the consequences
“Around 220,000 people were displaceds evacuated the fire-affected areas in the Gironde, hundreds of houses and apartments have been destroyed, and the number of victims could rise as more fires rage: in the Var, in the Bouches-du-Rhône, in the Hautes-Alpes, in the Pyrénées-Orientales, in the Ariège, in Corsica... (...) A fourth heat wave is sweeping the country, and in the face of water shortages and drought - Consequences of climate change and government blindness - concern is growing as many no longer feel safe from a fire that could break out anywhere.
The “Housing for All” platform:
– Recognizes the courage of firefighters and volunteers who risk their lives by working tirelessly on site;
– Expresses solidarity with those affected who were brutally torn from their homes;
– supports and promotes the establishment of self-help groups for those affected so that they can effectively defend their rights.
The platform calls on the government to draw up an emergency plan for those affected, in particular:
– The fastest possible confiscation of buildings and apartments that have been vacant for at least six months, holiday accommodation and unoccupied second homes, and the erection of bungalows pending reconstruction;
– the construction of social housing to provide long-term accommodation for the affected tenants;
– Compensation of the affected owner-occupiers as well as the workers, craftsmen and self-employed persons whose activities have come to a standstill due to the fires, as well as a plan to revive economic activity…” French.Declaration of the “Housing for All” platform from August 1, 2026 on solidaires.org (machine translated)
- The platform includes: AFVS, AITEC, ALDA, ATMF, ATTAC, BAGAGÉRUE, CGL, CNL, CSF, CONSTRUIRE!, CONV. NAT. SERVICES PUBLICS, Collectif STOP DÉMOLITION, COPAF, CSF, CSP75, DAL, FASTI, FEMMES ÉGALITÉ, FSU, FUIQP, MRAP, PAS SANS NOUS, SAF, SM, UTOPIA 56, UNION ÉTUDIANTE, UNION SYNDICALE SOLIDAIRES, USCD-CGT…
- In the original, the heading for an overheated apartment says “Bouilloires thermiques” (“thermal kettles”), which is the name given to poorly insulated apartments in France during the increasing heat waves in France
Place “sacrificed for the villas”: French Prime Minister responds to allegations after fire in Le Porge
“No warning SMS, evacuation too late: More than 700 residents of the Le Porge fire scene are now preparing a lawsuit against the authorities.
Le Porge – The devastating forest fires in France are under control for the time being, but resentment is growing in one of the hardest-hit communities. Residents of the destroyed town of Le Porge accuse the authorities of neglecting them in order to instead protect the holiday homes of wealthy citizens. (…)
Questionable prioritization: While Le Porge was almost completely surrounded by fire, residents observed heavy fire engines driving towards Cap Ferret. Cap Ferret is a nearby peninsula where many wealthy French people own expensive second homes. For local resident Delphine, the situation is clear: “Le Porge was sacrificed on the altar of the Cap Ferret peninsula.”
The official reaction from Paris was immediate. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu rejected the villagers' allegations and described them as false. According to Le Parisien, he stated that the pain of the residents was being exploited by conspiracy theorists on social networks.
The fire department's emergency services emphasize that the only thing that counts in their work is saving human lives. When flames spread uncontrollably, resources must be moved quickly - even if that means abandoning homes. According to the fire department, this approach can sometimes seem illogical to outsiders…”Article by Franziska Schwarz from August 2nd, 2026 in the FR online , it refers to:
- Fire in the Gironde: In Le Porge, along the “Avenue de la Désolation”, residents stand in front of the rubble of their burned down houses
  FrenchArticle by Maryline Baumard from July 27, 2026 in Le Monde (paywall)
- The wrong houses are burning: The forest fires in southern France show that if you want to survive in this world, you have to be rich
  “…According to a report in the newspaper Le Monde, some firefighters refused to follow the order and leave the residents and houses of Le Porge to burn because of their superiors' priorities. If that is true, then some firefighters should be congratulated on their decency and courage. How incomprehensible it is to drive past burning houses with a fire engine in order to protect houses that are hardly in comparable danger. At the same time, one can probably agree that a world that requires the courage of a few cannot be the best of all worlds…”Comment by Olivier David from August 10, 2026 in ND online
The planète brûle and les pyromanes gouvernent (The planet is burning and the arsonists rule)
“The Solidaires union expresses its solidarity with those affected and with the many workers deployed to combat the current forest fires in the Var, Gironde, Landes and other places in the country and around the world. These fires have consequences for numerous evacuated workers who have lost everything or whose companies have been closed or partially destroyed. Many seasonal workers are also affected by this. The Solidaires union stands by them to ensure that their rights are protected.
Professional and volunteer firefighters, employees of the National Forestry Authority and municipalities, civil defense as well as volunteers and employees of aid organizations are working under extremely difficult conditions. The Union Syndicale Solidaires welcomes the solidarity boost in the service of common efforts. However, this must not obscure the state's failings: chronic underfunding of public services and organizational deficiencies make resort to improvised solutions unavoidable and all too often lead to the supply of firefighters being dependent on the generosity of the population. Employees have been warning for years about the lack of resources, of staff to allow for rest periods and shift changes, of appropriate respiratory protection equipment, of buses... and today they are at the end of their tether. The policy of maximum profitability of forests and intensive monoculture also accelerates their vulnerability. The heat wave that will return from July 28 will aggravate the situation, while smoke may make it impossible for workers to ventilate the premises.
Nevertheless, the capitalists bear a large share of the responsibility for climate change, which they are exacerbating through their unbridled pursuit of profit. It is therefore only logical that they pay the price. The resources required to fight the fire must be procured.
“Who could have predicted that?” the President of the Republic asked openly in his New Year’s address for 2022. The succession of record heat periods and major fires comes as no surprise. These phenomena have been predicted by scientists for decades.(…)
The “Solidaires” trade union federation is immediately demanding that all affected employees be authorized to take absences without deductions from their salaries, as well as air quality measurements in all areas affected by the smoke. The Ecological and Social Alliance will publish its proposals for protective environmental protection in the fall. This will finally put an end to the savings at the expense of our lives while their profits and our forests are in flames.” FrenchContribution from Solidaires from July 27th, 2026 with a video (machine translated)
- “What we are experiencing here is class warfare”: France’s forest fires hit poor people the hardest
  “In the French community of Le Porge near Bordeaux, almost 200 houses were destroyed by the fires. Residents accuse the emergency services of abandoning their town to save lucrative seaside resorts. Is there any truth to this accusation?..”Article by Romy Strassenburg from July 28th, 2026 online on Friday – unfortunately from then on, a subscription, would apparently be a good addition to Solidaires…
SHOCK: “Less protected than journalists”: The fire department’s alarm call
“As a guest on RMC on Sunday July 26th, Sébastien Bouvier, CFDT national representative for the SDIS and professional firefighter in the Ain department, summed up years of warnings that went unheard in one sentence: “When it comes to respiratory protection, we are less protected than journalists.” Behind this statement lies a systemic finding: outdated equipment, staff shortages and skilled workers who are forced to take vacation to fill in as reinforcements.
Gironde, Landes, Var, Hautes-Alpes, Corsica: The firefighters are deployed on several fronts at the same time. In July alone, three of them died during operations. More than fifty were injured on Saturday, including nine who were taken to hospital - all in relatively stable condition. DA comparison with 2022 makes the extent clear: at that time, the Gironde had lost 20,000 hectares. Today it is already twice as much. Another heat wave was announced for the end of July and there are still no weather forecasts for August. The assessment of our national representative is clear: “We have reached the border.”
The ANSES has found that: Firefighters' exposure occurs not only directly during the operation, but also indirectly after the fire has been extinguished. The monitoring, investigation and clean-up phases prolong contact with the pollutants. And even returning to the barracks does not mean the end of the exposure: soot and fire-fighting water contaminate the equipment, materials and vehicles.In other words, the contamination is spreading. It gets into the cabins, the changing rooms and the storage rooms. This is exactly what the CFDT has been calling the “anti-contamination doctrine” for years – and this is exactly what is still missing in most departments.
The film crews work with FFP3 masks at the same locations. The firefighters, on the other hand, wear a protective hood.
The self-contained breathing apparatus (ARI) remains the only equipment that protects against all gaseous pollutants. However, with a weight of 14 to 16 kg, it cannot be used off-road for several hours: it remains in the truck. Escape masks and half masks for the driver's cab only serve as an emergency solution. The hood automatically becomes the only protective barrier.
But the emergency services are not only exposed to particles. Sébastien Bouvier points out that “firefighters are constantly suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning” – a gas that no respirator mask, no matter how good its filtering performance, can block.
The new balaclava is available. It wasn't bought
This is the hardest point to accept, because it is not a piece of equipment that has yet to be invented. It is already available. Our representative says it bluntly: the expected protective cover “is on the market, but many SDIS do not want to buy it.”
The background is known. Since 2019, there has been a filter mask that complies with a technical standard with the French Civil Protection seal of approval and has a filtering performance of around 80% for smoke and toxic substances. As early as 2023, a written question to the National Assembly stated that the number of appropriately equipped SDIS was still extremely low. The 2017 CNRACL report had previously found that no respiratory protection was truly suitable for fires in natural areas.The blockage is therefore neither technical nor normative in nature. It is budgetary. (…)
Outfits intended for the apartment are worn in the forest
The same delay also affects protective clothing. Many of the emergency services deployed to fires in natural areas wear protective clothing that is intended for house fires - and is significantly warmer. There is already new protective clothing that would significantly improve working conditions.In addition, there is radiation exposure on site, which Sébastien Bouvier puts at 5 to 10 kW per square meter. Combined with exhaustion and lack of fluids on endlessly long days, they make every mission a physical torture. Equipment is not a convenience, but rather determines how long an officer can last without putting themselves in danger. (…)
“We have a lot of trucks, but we are completely overwhelmed in terms of personnel.”
In September 2022, after the forest fires in the Gironde, the President of the Republic received the civil protection leaders and announced a standardization initiative that affected both equipment and personnel. Four years later, the CFDT union draws an unbalanced conclusion: "We have the equipment. We have lots of fire engines, but we lack staff."
The figures from the Ministry of the Interior as of December 31, 2025 illustrate the actual structure of the French model: 44,303 professional firefighters compared to 200,961 volunteers...” FrenchReport from Cfdt Sdis dated July 26, 2026 (machine translated)
Civil defense: “The current model is crumbling”
“On May 27th this year, the firefighters' unions were welcomed to the Matignon. Together they drew the government's attention to the chronic underfunding of civil defense, which is endangering its ability to function. (…) Since they did not receive a satisfactory response from their responsible ministry (i.e. the Ministry of the Interior), the representatives of the professional fire brigades decided to mobilize within the framework of a cross-union alliance and to address the government headquarters in Matignon, where they were received by the Prime Minister's Cabinet. (…) In this context, the unions denounce “the withdrawal of the state in favor of decentralization at departmental level” of this service. In practice, this management style leads to inequalities in the treatment of users depending on the region, as well as inequalities in the treatment of employees (differences in salaries, differences in resources and perspectives…)...” FrenchArticle by Claire Nillus on June 9th, 2026 in the Cfdt newspaper (machine translated)
Forest fires: act before it is too late
The Cfdt has on July 8, 2026the “feux de forêts” campaign started

See about fire services and forest fires internationally:

See especially from 2019:The heat wave in France: Police against those who point out the causes. And at PSA-Renault you get 1 liter of water – half that for temporary workers! – but no one has time to drink it

The postDeadly forest fire season 2026 in France: firefighters at the limit – a profession at the end of its tetherappeared firstLabourNet Germany.