France deploys A400M military transport for wildfire suppression in Gironde

France accelerated the deployment of an Airbus A400M Atlas fitted with a roll‑on/roll‑off retardant kit capable of releasing 20 000 litres of fire‑suppressant. The aircraft made its first operational drop on 25 July 2026 over the Lacanau area in the Gironde department, joining an aerial fleet that also includes Canadair and Dash‑8 water‑bombers. The rapid use of the A400M was ordered by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to help contain a firestorm that has burned more than 30 000 ha, destroyed hundreds of homes and forced the evacuation of over 250 000 people across southwestern France and central Spain. The blaze threatened the Bordeaux region and prompted the Tour de France to truncate its final stage, moving the race to a shortened circuit in Paris. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warned that the battle would be “long and very difficult” and mobilised soldiers, firefighters and millions of face masks to protect residents from smoke. The A400M operation complements ongoing criticism of France’s firefighting fleet, with pilots noting maintenance shortfalls in the Canadair fleet, but the new capability adds a significant boost to national and cross‑border fire‑fighting resources.