Wilfried Schmitter and Anthony Berthôme receive posthumous Nation's Order of Merit after Gironde fire

Wilfried Schmitter Anthony Berthôme Citation à l'ordre de la Nation Gironde fire posthumous award

On 21 July 2026, two professional firefighters, Wilfried Schmitter and Anthony Berthôme, died while battling a forest fire near Bordeaux‑Mérignac airport in Gironde, France. Their fire engine became trapped by flames in a pine plantation.

The French government posthumously awarded them the Citation à l'ordre de la Nation. The honor was granted by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on the proposal of the Interior Minister.

President Emmanuel Macron expressed condolences on X. A tribute ceremony was held on 23 July in Saint‑Médard‑en‑Jalles, and a minute of silence was observed on 31 July in fire stations across the department.

Entities

Anthony Berthôme · Emmanuel Macron · Gironde · Sébastien Lecornu · Wilfried Schmitter

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 4 SOURCES] Wilfried Schmitter and Anthony Berthôme died on 21 July 2026 while fighting a fire in Gironde near Bordeaux‑Mérignac airport. www.estrepublicain.fr · www.lejsl.com · www.vosgesmatin.fr · fr.news.yahoo.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] A tribute ceremony was held on 23 July in Saint‑Médard‑en‑Jalles. fr.news.yahoo.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] President Emmanuel Macron expressed condolences on X. fr.news.yahoo.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] A minute of silence was observed on 31 July in all fire stations of the department. fr.news.yahoo.com
[● 4 SOURCES] Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu granted the award on the proposal of the Interior Minister. www.estrepublicain.fr · www.lejsl.com · www.vosgesmatin.fr · fr.news.yahoo.com
[● 4 SOURCES] The firefighters were members of the Saint‑Médard‑en‑Jalles fire station. www.estrepublicain.fr · www.lejsl.com · www.vosgesmatin.fr · fr.news.yahoo.com
[● 4 SOURCES] Their fire engine became trapped by flames in a pine plantation. www.estrepublicain.fr · www.lejsl.com · www.vosgesmatin.fr · fr.news.yahoo.com
[● 4 SOURCES] They were posthumously awarded the Citation à l'ordre de la Nation. www.estrepublicain.fr · www.lejsl.com · www.vosgesmatin.fr · fr.news.yahoo.com

Sources

Incendie. Wilfried et Anthony, les deux pompiers morts en Gironde, décorés à titre posthume [www.estrepublicain.fr]

14 days ago

Incendie. Wilfried et Anthony, les deux pompiers morts en Gironde, décorés à titre posthume [www.vosgesmatin.fr]

14 days ago

Incendie. Wilfried et Anthony, les deux pompiers morts en Gironde, décorés à titre posthume [www.lejsl.com]

14 days ago

Pompiers morts en Gironde: Wilfried Schmitter et Anthony Berthôme reçoivent, à titre posthume, la Citation à l'ordre de la Nation [fr.news.yahoo.com]

14 days ago