Thousands of tourists were forced to flee seaside resorts by boat as officials ordered the total evacuation of Lege-Cap Ferret, a popular tourist destination in southwestern France, engulfed by a wildfire that began Wednesday. The blaze underscored the severity of the wildfire crisis gripping Europe amid record heatwaves and drought conditions.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced he had requested assistance from the European Union, stating that two Croatian Canadair aircraft, two Portuguese Air Tractor planes, and two Czech and Slovak Black Hawk helicopters would be sent to aid in firefighting efforts. "France has requested the activation of the European Union's civil protection mechanism," Macron posted on X. "We 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."
Officials in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region said evacuees from the Lege-Cap Ferret peninsula could depart from piers in four villages between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. local time. Residents and tourists were also directed to use the sole road connecting the area to the mainland.
Residents described frantic evacuations. "The gendarmes came and knocked on every door, the fire was about 500 metres away - we grabbed some things and left," said Patrick Martineau, a 69-year-old resident of Le Porge, south of Bordeaux.
Footage from Biscarosse, a town south of the affected peninsula, captured dramatic scenes of cars speeding away from approaching flames and horses running through smoke-filled streets. In the southeast, near the village of Cotignac, officials reported around 25 houses destroyed by fires fanned by the Mistral wind. Two firefighters died earlier in the week battling a separate blaze near Bordeaux airport.
In Spain, the government declared a state of emergency in the Madrid region, where over 10,000 people have been evacuated. Emergency services issued alerts for residents in Aldea de Fresno, west of Madrid, to leave their homes. Firefighters were also working to contain a larger wildfire in Guadalajara province, north of Madrid, where strong winds and extreme heat remained a concern.
Virginia Barcones, head of civil protection in Spain, attributed the fires to climate change, stating that "Climate change is what kills, what destroys our villages and our natural and cultural heritage." She warned that some fires become so intense that firefighters have "no chance."
Italy has also been hard hit, with fires raging in Sicily and Calabria. In Calabria, authorities suspect arsonists used flammable liquid tied to stray cats to spread flames, with investigators finding candles and delayed ignition devices. One firefighter died in Sicily after falling ill while battling a blaze.
Across Europe, three consecutive heatwaves this season have exacerbated drought conditions, strained water supplies, and left vegetation highly flammable. The total area of land burnt so far this year in EU countries is the second largest on record, according to data from the European Forest Fire Information System. The intense heat has also been linked to thousands of deaths across the continent.
France has faced significant pressure on its firefighting capacity. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated, "Our security forces are engaged in a genuine battle against the wildfires. The nation stands with you." The situation in the southwest was further complicated by a wildfire that began Thursday afternoon near Biscarosse, devouring 2,500 hectares and leading to the evacuation of over 23,000 people, including residents of campsites, homes, a children's summer camp, and a residential care home for the elderly. Farmers were asked to assist with water tanks.
Wildfires in 2022 devastated a large area of the same forest in southwestern France, forcing approximately 50,000 people to flee. While the northern flank of the current fire near Lege-Cap Ferret was reported as contained, the southern flank remained uncontrolled.