Firefighters in France are working around the clock to contain wildfires that have been raging in the Gironde region, while bracing for another sharp rise in temperatures.

"The fire is like David against Goliath," said Eric Brocardi, spokesman of the national firefighters' federation. Four of his colleagues had died in recent weeks across France, he said, and 2,000 had been deployed in the Gironde to contain the flames.

"Weather conditions were unfavourable," a local official warned, as this summer's fourth heatwave was expected to start by Wednesday, bringing temperatures in the area to 40C.

Bordeaux, which has a population of 260,000, is not currently under threat, according to officials. But Commander Rémi Lassoureille, who is leading the firefighting response in the Gironde region, is worried about the western edge of the wildfire.

"We are frightened about the impact on Bordeaux and the metropolitan area," he said. One of the wildfires burning on Monday was 15km (9 miles) from the periphery of Bordeaux, where the air quality has deteriorated dramatically.

A holidaymaker from Essex told the BBC that by Sunday evening everything had begun to empty out, with the air "really smoky" and bits of ash. "People were staying indoors, so it was eerie, and very sad," she said.

President Emmanuel Macron, who visited the fire-ravaged area on Monday, said the country was facing a "completely unprecedented wildfire... the toughest since World War Two".

Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said the government was being "very vigilant" in terms of air pollution and urged people in affected areas to stay indoors.

On Tuesday morning, the Gironde prefect ordered a new evacuation of all camping sites near the coast at Lacanau. About 4,000 tourists told to leave are in addition to the 220,000 people evacuated around France in recent days. An estimated 240 homes and houses have been destroyed.

A 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of starting a fire in the Var region. He faces 15 years' imprisonment.

Peggy Plouhinec, the general director of Château Picque Caillou, told the BBC that her business chose to close at the weekend because of the smoke, but that rain on Sunday night had helped. She said tourists had "deserted" the region. "The hospitality sector will be impacted this summer, that's for sure," she added.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk