Wildfires force 43,000 to flee in France

More than 43,000 people have been evacuated from southwestern France as massive wildfires continue to spread

More than 43,000 people have been evacuated from southwestern France as massive wildfires continue to spread across several regions, threatening residential areas, forests and popular tourist destinations. French authorities have launched one of the country’s largest emergency operations of the year as firefighters work around the clock to contain the rapidly advancing flames.

The worst-affected area is located near Arcachon Bay and the Cap Ferret peninsula in the Gironde region. The wildfire has already burned through more than 8,700 hectares of land and continues to spread because of strong winds, dry vegetation and extremely high temperatures.

Authorities ordered the complete evacuation of the Cap Ferret peninsula, a major holiday destination on France’s Atlantic coast that attracts thousands of visitors every summer. Residents, tourists and campers were instructed to leave immediately as emergency services expanded evacuation operations.

To speed up the evacuation, authorities arranged transport by both road and sea. Special boats were deployed from several coastal villages while vehicles used the peninsula’s only highway leading to the mainland. Emergency officials urged everyone in the affected areas to leave without delay for their own safety.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described the Gironde wildfire as the largest fire of the current season. He said around 80 homes have been damaged, including nearly 50 houses that were completely destroyed by the flames.

More than 1,000 firefighters, supported by helicopters, military engineering units and civil security teams, are working to control the blaze in Gironde. Hundreds of police officers and emergency personnel have also been deployed to help with evacuations, traffic management and public safety.

A second major wildfire is burning near Biscarrosse in the neighbouring Landes region. The fire has destroyed more than 2,500 hectares of forest and forced the evacuation of over 23,000 residents, tourists and campers. Local authorities said the blaze remains out of control after continuing to spread overnight.

French President Emmanuel Macron has requested international assistance through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism. Several European countries have agreed to send additional firefighting aircraft and helicopters to help French authorities contain the fires.

Croatia is sending Canadair water-bombing aircraft, while Portugal will provide specialised firefighting planes. The Czech Republic and Slovakia are also deploying heavy helicopters to assist emergency crews.

Emergency officials said there have been no confirmed fatalities in the Gironde wildfire so far. However, they warned that weather conditions remain highly dangerous and could make firefighting efforts even more difficult in the coming days.

Fire experts say the blazes are spreading unusually quickly because of prolonged heatwaves, severe drought and strong winds. These conditions have left forests and vegetation extremely dry, allowing fires to expand rapidly across large areas.

Authorities estimate that nearly 50,000 hectares of land have burned across France since the beginning of this year’s wildfire season, making it one of the country’s most destructive fire seasons in recent years.