Around 20,000 Evacuated as Wildfire Engulfs Forest Near Lège-Cap Ferret in France
A forest fire near Lège-Cap Ferret in southwestern France forced the evacuation of roughly 20,000 residents and tourists, with about 700 firefighters deployed to combat the blaze.
About 20,000 people were moved to safety on Thursday as a forest fire spread across more than 31 square kilometres near Lège-Cap Ferret, southwest of Bordeaux. The prefect of the Gironde region, Sophie Brocas, said roughly 700 firefighters, including units from the Paris area, were on the scene and water-bombing aircraft were being used. The fire approached within 300 metres of the town’s first homes but no injuries have been reported.
Authorities evacuated over 10,000 tourists staying in holiday camps and campgrounds, as well as more than 1,000 local residents living near the forest edge. Later, the village of Claouey was also evacuated, affecting 8,800 people, as a precaution. Several municipalities opened reception and respite centres for those displaced.
The blaze remains uncontained, though it is currently limited to the north of Lège. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez noted that more than 12,500 wildfires have occurred in France since the start of the year, burning nearly 44,000 hectares.
The incident comes amid a summer of extensive wildfires across Southern Europe, which scientists attribute in part to climate-related increases in heat and dryness. Similar fire activity continued elsewhere on Thursday, with a fatal blaze in Sicily, Italy, and multiple fires in Spain, where a high-speed train service was briefly halted due to a fire near Madrid.