A significant wildfire erupted on August 11, 2025, around 4:30 PM in the La Double massif in southern Charente, quickly consuming approximately 230 hectares of vegetation.

By 8 PM, reports indicated that the fire was advancing towards the village of Bardenac, raising concerns among local authorities.

The Charente prefecture promptly deployed firefighters, including a pre-positioned unit in Barbezieux, and utilized significant aerial resources such as two Dash aircraft, four Canadairs, and a Puma helicopter.

Although the spread of the fire has slowed, it remains uncontrolled with active fire spots still present along the edges.

In response to the emergency, law enforcement ordered evacuations of several homes in the hamlets of Brossac and Saint-Vallier, while Enedis implemented preventive power outages affecting around 700 residents across 12 municipalities.

Due to the fire's proximity, SNCF closed the high-speed rail line (LGV) and redirected TGV train services to conventional rail lines as a safety measure.

As of 6:35 PM, over 70 firefighters and 24 vehicles were actively engaged in combating the blaze, with ground resources being reinforced despite aerial efforts being suspended due to nighttime conditions.

Météo-France has issued an orange alert for forest fire risks and a red alert for extreme heat in Charente, complicating the firefighting efforts.

The prefecture has urged the public to exercise caution and to heed the advice of firefighters and law enforcement officials.

This wildfire follows a significant incident in September 2022, which burned 400 hectares of pine and deciduous trees, marking a historical record for the region.