An order published in the Official Journal on August 5, 2026 recognizes the Saumos and Biscarrosse fires as major disasters. In the directly affected perimeters, forest owners may carry out urgent tree felling without first notifying the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Center for Forest Property (CRPF).
Normally, owners must declare the location, extent, and reasons for the cut. The CRPF then has a fifteen-day window to object. This step is temporarily waived for parcels affected by the order.
Rapidly Stabilizing Burned Forests and Clearing Damaged Trees
The primary objective is to enable rapid felling of trees that have burned or become weakened. After a fire, some trunks can become unstable and pose a danger to residents, forestry workers, roads, or nearby buildings.
Prompt timber removal can also help limit the loss of value. Damaged trees are more vulnerable to insects, fungi, and rot. The later the harvest, the harder it becomes for sawmills and the wood industry to make use of them.
This measure is also intended to facilitate access for teams responsible for clearing, monitoring, and restoring the affected plots.
A measure limited to the zones affected by the fires
The administrative easing does not constitute a blanket authorization to cut trees in Gironde or Landes. It applies only to parcels located within the perimeters of the Saumos and Biscarrosse fires.
Other forest and environmental rules remain in effect. Owners must notably comply with obligations related to stand renewal, protected areas, and deforestation authorizations. A tree cut does not automatically convert a forest into agricultural or buildable land.
The Challenge of Rebuilding the Forests
The removal of the administrative delay addresses an emergency, but it does not solve all the difficulties tied to the fires. Harvesting, transport, and storage of large quantities of wood can overwhelm the supply chain and push prices downward.
In the longer term, forest owners and public authorities will need to organize site cleanup, support reforestation, and choose management approaches capable of better withstanding droughts and fires.
After emergency management, rebuilding the Gironde and Landes forests will have to balance safety, economic activity, soil protection, and adaptation to climate change.
