Authorities have ordered the total evacuation of the Cap Ferret peninsula in southwestern France as a major wildfire, which has already consumed 8,700 hectares, continues to spread. Hundreds of tourists have fled by boat as firefighters struggle to contain the blaze, one of 32 currently burning across the country.
Evacuation of the Cap Ferret Peninsula
The situation in the Gironde region reached a critical point on Friday morning as the prefect, Sophie Brocas, ordered the final phase of the evacuation for the entire Cap Ferret peninsula. The popular tourism destination, currently hosting visitors in campsites and rental properties, became the center of an emergency operation as the fire advanced toward the Atlantic coast.
Authorities have established multiple exit routes for those trapped by the flames. Residents and tourists were instructed to depart via the primary road leading toward Bordeaux, while maritime transport was organized from four local piers. According to reports, more than 400 people had already been ferried to safety by boat as of Friday morning. Officials confirmed that 20,000 visitors had been evacuated from the area since Wednesday, following the fire’s initial outbreak in Saumos on Tuesday.
President Macron Requests European Union Support
French President Emmanuel Macron described the wildfire situation as very tense on Thursday night, particularly regarding the conditions in Gironde. In response to the intensifying crisis, the French government officially triggered the European Union’s civil protection mechanism to secure international reinforcements.
Emmanuel Macron, President of France, stated that France has requested the activation of the European Union’s civil protection mechanism, noting that the country will soon be able to count on reinforcements from two Croatian Canadair aircraft, two Portuguese Air Tractor planes, as well as two heavy Black Hawk helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez characterized the ongoing effort as a genuine battle against the wildfires, noting that the fire near the Arcachon basin is the biggest fire of the season.
Scale of Wildfires Across France and Spain
The destruction in the Gironde region is part of a broader, national crisis. Interior Minister Nuñez confirmed that 32 fires are currently burning across France. The total land area scorched by wildfires since January 1 has surpassed 50,000 hectares, a figure almost three times as much as last year.
The regional pressure is compounded by similar disasters in neighboring Spain. The Spanish interior ministry has declared a national emergency as fires near Madrid, including blazes in Villa del Prado and San Martín de Valdeiglesias, remain out of control.
| Region | Status / Impact |
|---|---|
| Gironde, France | 8,700 hectares burned; 40,000 people evacuated |
| Biscarosse, France | 2,500 hectares burned; 23,000 evacuated |
| Madrid, Spain | 10,000 evacuated; multiple fires raging |
Firefighting Challenges and Safety Status
Despite the scale of the evacuations, officials reported that there have been no new injuries as of Friday morning. However, the tragedy of the fire remains: two firefighters lost their lives on Tuesday while battling a blaze near Bordeaux Airport. The intensity of the current fire season has been exacerbated by successive heatwaves, which have left vegetation across the continent dry.
In the Landes area, south of the current Cap Ferret evacuation zone, the situation remains fluid. Prefect Gilles Clavreul reported that a fire near Biscarosse has consumed 2,500 hectares, forcing the evacuation of over 23,000 people, including those in residential care homes and children’s summer camps. Fire crews continue to monitor highly variable winds, which Gironde fire service chief Marc Vermeulen warned could make the fire’s progression difficult to predict, requiring teams to remain on high alert.
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