French authorities have issued a mandatory evacuation order for the entire Cap Ferret peninsula as lethal wildfires relentlessly sweep through the south-west region. Thousands of individuals are currently being evacuated from the upscale resort area, with many resorting to escaping by boat while firefighters combat extensive blazes in France’s Gironde region.
The wildfires have already devoured approximately 10,000 hectares of land, equivalent to one and a half times the size of Manhattan, prompting the deployment of water-bombing aircraft to contain the infernos. President Emmanuel Macron disclosed that France has activated the European Union’s civil protection mechanism to request assistance, emphasizing the ongoing severity of the crisis.
According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), the total land area burnt in EU countries this year ranks as the second largest on record. Meanwhile, Spain has declared a national emergency due to wildfires raging near its capital, Madrid.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez revealed that around 40,000 individuals have been evacuated or are preparing to evacuate from the Cap Ferret peninsula on the country’s south-western coast. Vacationing headmaster David Morton, 53, and his family received a sudden evacuation alert during the night, compelling them to swiftly leave their lodging in Petit Piquey, a coastal village along the peninsula.
Morton recounted their evacuation experience, describing the daunting sight of massive flames as they drove through the area. Local officials reported that 53 residences and a campsite were destroyed by the fires, but nearly 2,000 homes were saved.
Authorities initiated the evacuation of Arès town following rapid overnight fire spread, as confirmed by fire and rescue chief Marc Vermeulen. Another significant blaze near Biscarrosse led to the evacuation of over 23,000 individuals in France’s Landes region, affecting residents, campsites, a nursing home, and a summer camp.
Landes prefect Gilles Clavreul cautioned that due to high temperatures reaching 37°C and strong winds up to 50km/h, the Biscarrosse fire was not expected to be extinguished by the end of Friday. While no casualties were reported in south-west France overnight, two firefighters tragically lost their lives earlier in the week near Bordeaux airport.
France has witnessed over 300 wildfires this year, surpassing the annual average of 93, as reported by EFFIS.
