'I spent the night coughing': Wildfire smoke leaves Bordeaux residents struggling to breathe A dense blanket of smoke has hung over Bordeaux since last Friday as a massive wildfire burns its way through southwestern France. As the flames creep closer to the city, FRANCE 24 met residents stunned by the scale of the disaster and fearful of what comes next. The streets of Bordeaux on Sunday bore an unsettling resemblance to the darkest days of the Covid-19 pandemic with many residents once again wearing surgical masks, FFP2 respirators and homemade cover-ups.

This time, however, they were not trying to protect themselves from a virus but from the toxic smoke billowing from a massive wildfire that has been raging across the southwest Gironde region. Read moreBordeaux under threat as France and Spain battle 'unprecedented' wildfires Since Friday evening, Bordeaux has been covered by a thick plume of smoke containing fine particulate matter. Ash has settled across the city while the smell of burning lingers in the air.

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'It changes constantly with the wind' The yellow-tinged haze has done little to empty the bustling Rue Sainte-Catherine, one of Bordeaux's main shopping streets. Among those out enjoying the summer afternoon were Laure and Claire. While Laure was dressed for the warm weather, Claire had added an FFP2 mask to her summer outfit.

Yesterday, when I went out to do some shopping, the air was completely unbreathable. "Ash was falling on us," Claire said. "I spent the night coughing.

So this morning I went to buy this mask to try to protect myself as much as possible." Her friend had yet to make a trip to the pharmacy but shared the same concerns. "What's really difficult is that it changes constantly with the wind," Laure said. She has found her own way of monitoring the smoke.

"I have a little dog. He's like a smoke detector and starts barking whenever the sky fills with smoke, as if he's trying to warn me," she laughed. Her rule is simple: if her four-legged companion starts barking too much, it is best to stay indoors.

'We only went out to fill up the car' Mathilde and Jeanne also took their precautions. Sunday was the first time they had left home since smoke descended on Bordeaux two days earlier. "Yesterday we only went out to fill up the car, just in case we decided to leave the city," they said.

"But today we were starting to go stir-crazy, so we decided to take a short walk. We won't stay out for very long." If air quality continues to deteriorate, the two friends say they may leave the city and return to their families in Nantes and the Paris region. "We know breathing these fine particles is really bad for your health," they said.

"If it gets worse or lasts several more days, it's better to leave." Smoke from wildfires releases gases and particles that can be harmful to human health, according to France's national health and food safety agency, Anses.