'There is nothing left, it's all gone': Le Porge local tells of devastation after hours-long battle to try to save his home from wildfire

Surveying the burned-out wreckage of his French villa, Georgie Schmid shakes his head solemnly as he recalls the three-hour battle to save his home from the flames.He had seen the inferno coming as it tore mercilessly through pine forests behind the property.Grabbing garden hoses and switching on the garden sprinkler system, Georgie, his brother and a friend who lived nearby, joined four firefighters in trying to keep the fire at bay.After two hours it looked as though they had been successful as the flames died down and started to flicker away in the opposite direction until the wind picked up, changed course and sent a rejuvenated firestorm into the path of his home of 10 years.The ferocity of the blaze forced him and others in the village of Le Porge, Southwestern France, to flee to safety last Thursday evening.The wildfire has so far burned through 42,000 hectares, an area four times the size of Paris, and caused 260,000 people to be evacuated across Southwestern France.It started on July 22 in forests on Cap Ferret and has been steadily approaching the city of Bordeaux ever since due to strong winds fanning the flames westwards.In what is one of the biggest devastations of land since the Second World War, more than 240 homes have been destroyed. Surveying the burned-out wreckage of his French villa Georgie Schmid shakes his head solemnly as he recalls the three hour battle to save his home from the flames He had seen the inferno coming as it tore mercilessly through pine forests behind the property - some of the damage is pictured here The 57-year-old, originally from Czechia, said: 'There is nothing left, it's all gone. I have a lot of fond memories of this house but that is all I have left of it now - memories'They include the house that Mr Schmid had lived in since 2016. He had started to renovate the property, adding new decking a year ago.All that remains now, however, is a pile of scorched rubble, blackened timber, bricks, masonry and smashed roof tiles.Only a charred washing machine, an oven and the metal frames of two chairs are evidence at all that it was once a happy family house.The 57-year-old, originally from Czechia, said: 'There is nothing left, it's all gone. I have a lot of fond memories of this house but that is all I have left of it now - memories. The cherished family-album photographs of life back in Czechia all gone, along with all my other belongings.'But I still have my life, I still have my wife because she evacuated the day before and I still have my pets because they were my first thought.'When I saw the fire coming, I got my dog, cat and chickens to the car and to safety. I then alerted my brother and a friend who lived next-door.'There were four firemen trying to bring the flames under control. We grabbed garden hoses and anything that shot out water and did all we could.'The pine forests behind the house were well alight by late afternoon on Thursday and we tried to extinguish it through into the night. We fought like brothers-in-arms. Mr Schmid points towards the Le Porge village which was decimated in the recent Gironde forest fires The remains of a charred swimming pool is seen following the Gironde forest fire in the Le Porge village'After about two hours we thought we had been successful as the flames seemed to ease back and were heading away from the house.'But in a cruel twist, the wind changed speed and strength and sent the fire back into our direction at speed.'There was nothing that any of us could do. We had to evacuate quickly because the fire was getting out of hand.'I remember looking back and seeing the start of the flames take hold of the house. It was heartbreaking seeing a home that my wife and I had lived happily in for ten years start to burn down.'We'd actually started some renovation work, I put new decking in and had lot of ambitious plans but… it's not to be.'Mr Schmid returned to his home this afternoon, partly to see the extent of the damage but also to tend what is left of his garden.He has lived in France for 20 years and had worked as a logger until the strain from the job began to cause serious strain on his back.No longer able to work, for the last few years he had sought solace in his garden, where he had an apple and peach tree and grew tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes and pumpkins on a vegetable patch. All that remains of houses now are piles of scorched rubble, blackened timber, bricks, masonry and smashed roof tiles 'There is devastation all around, burned vehicles, houses, machinery and the soil is black with smoke stain', Mr Schmid said Mr Schmid's apple and peach trees perished in the flames but thankfully his allotment remains relatively untouchedThe grass on his garden is now scorched black and is surrounded by burnt-out cars, trucks and various agricultural machinery. The smell of smoke still hangs thick in the air.His apple and peach trees perished in the flames but thankfully his allotment remains relatively untouched.He said: 'It was where I found solace to be honest. It was my pride and joy. When I couldn't work anymore due to my back I liked to get out into the garden and tend to my trees, plants and vegetables.'If it wasn't for the garden, I'd be sat on the sofa inside all day. It got me out and kept me busy.'There is devastation all around, burned vehicles, houses, machinery and the soil is black with smoke stain. But by luck my vegetable patch avoided any serious damage.'It's a small thing but it's important to me. It's something that keeps me focussed and not dwelling on what's happened.'For now Mr Schmid is staying with a friend at their home in a nearby village. He has vowed to build a new home, a phoenix from the flames.He added: 'It's not just me. Others have suffered a similar fate. My brother's home survived but was seriously damaged and my friend and my neighbour's home is gone like mine. My other neighbours have lost their homes. Half the people in this part of the village have too.'It's sad but we have to be thankful than nobody died, we live another day, and all we can do is keep on going, support each other and help the firefighters as much as possible.'I'm staying nearby, I've not gone far. This is my home and when I can I'll build a new house for my wife and I to make new memories in.'