Advice for Communities at Risk of Wildfires and Resource Kits Available for Local Stakeholders

Protecting Your Health During a Forest Fire

• Limit your travel and the time you spend outdoors.
• Close your doors and windows. 
• Block vents with damp cloths.
• Turn off or cover your mechanical ventilation systems
• Avoid outdoor physical activity.
• Check in on vulnerable people. 
• If you have respiratory symptoms or difficulty breathing: Contact a healthcare professional. 
• In case of an emergency, call 15.

Protecting Your Health During a Wildfire Amid a Heat Wave

• Turn off or cover your mechanical ventilation systems.
• Ventilate your home during the coolest hours of the day, if there is no smoke.
• If you experience irritation, rinse your skin, face, and eyes thoroughly with clean water. 
• Be sure to stay well-hydrated. Eat fresh foods and avoid alcohol.
• Avoid physical exertion.
• Check in on vulnerable people.
• Wear an FFP2 mask when near smoke, especially if you are vulnerable. 
• If you experience any symptoms (respiratory, ENT, nausea, dizziness, etc.), contact a healthcare professional.
• In case of an emergency, call 15. 

Protecting Your Health When Returning Home After an Evacuation 

After a fire, dust and ash can be hazardous to your health. Protect yourself.

Avoid direct contact 

• Wear gloves, an FFP2 mask, and long-sleeved clothing while cleaning.
• Vulnerable individuals should not participate in cleanup efforts.

Indoors and outdoors

• Clean all surfaces and objects with water only, using a damp cloth, working from top to bottom. (Do not use a vacuum cleaner, leaf blower, or pressure washer.)
• Wash cleaning clothes separately.
• Do not shake textiles (rugs, curtains, clothing) inside the house.
• Clean the ventilation vents.
• Wash your hands after removing your gloves and cleaning clothes.

For food

• Wash fruits and vegetables; peel root vegetables. Discard unpackaged food.
• Do not eat eggs if they have been exposed to dust or ash, or if the chickens have been.
• Finally, let tap water run for 2 minutes before drinking it, and clean your swimming pools and fountains.
• Do not use water from your well for drinking, cooking, or washing. It will not be safe to consume again until a test confirms its quality.

A radio spot is also available upon request: agnes.verrier@santepubliquefrance.fr

Monitoring the Health Impacts of Wildfires in Nouvelle-Aquitaine and the Var

Smoke plumes and deteriorating air quality expose the population to increased health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups (children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions).

Several health consequences related to these fires may be observed: 

• Consequences directly related to the fire, such as burns, physical trauma, or psychological effects (stress, anxiety, sleep disturbances, etc.); 
• Consequences related to exposure to smoke, such as carbon monoxide poisoning, irritation of the upper or lower respiratory tract, and/or worsening of symptoms in people already suffering from a respiratory disease.

A monitoring system for the short-term health effects of these fires has been established by Santé publique France in Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) around the area affected by the fire, based on data from local healthcare facilities. This system is based on the analysis of morbidity data routinely collected from emergency departments (the Oscour® network) and SOS Médecins associations.

Major wildfires in Gironde (July 22–August 1, 2026) and in the Landes (July 23–July 28, 2026).

• Forest Fires in Gironde and Landes. Bulletin of August 5, 2026.
• Forest fires in Gironde and Landes. Bulletin dated July 29, 2026.

Forest Fires in the Var (Brignoles area) - July 21, 2026

• Forest fires in the Var. Bulletin dated August 14, 2026.