A California couple who moved to Bordeaux, France, after their home was destroyed by the Eaton Fire is once again facing evacuation as a wildfire expands rapidly near their new residence.
Cynthia Perello and her husband relocated to France seeking a lower cost of living after losing their home in Altadena, California. However, they have found themselves in a similar crisis, fleeing to Paris as France battles its most severe wildfire in decades.
French officials report that the flames have consumed an area four times the size of Paris, surpassing the country's average acreage burned by wildfires and setting a new record with over 242,000 acres scorched.
French President Emmanuel Macron described the situation as the country's worst fire crisis since World War II. Perello told ABC7 that the forced evacuation felt like "deja vu," expressing disbelief at having to relive such an experience.
The couple stated that life in Bordeaux had been going well, and they were saving money while exploring options to rebuild their Altadena home. However, the encroaching wildfire has brought back familiar anxieties.
"We're not under evacuation notice, but neither were we in Altadena, California," Perello said. "I do fear the worst, because I don't know what to expect. I mean, this is uncharted territory. I believe this is even worse than, I hate to say it, but Altadena."
Despite the absence of mandatory evacuation orders, the couple made the decision to leave after witnessing homes ablaze in the coastal city of Cap Ferret. Ash now covers the exterior of their rental property in Bordeaux.
Perello described the emotional toll, stating, "It's very difficult to sleep because I don't know what to expect. I don't know if it's PTSD, but I definitely know it's a huge amount of anxiety."