France Evacuates Tourist Area After Wildfires Send Hundreds Fleeing by Boat

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1318 EAT on Friday 24 July 2026

Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from a popular tourist destination west of Bordeaux as firefighters continue battling wildfires that have ravaged France’s Gironde region for several days.

The fires, which started on Tuesday in Saumos, continued burning overnight, with about 8,700 hectares (21,500 acres) of land destroyed by the flames.

Meanwhile, Spain has declared a national emergency as wildfires continue to spread uncontrollably in several areas near the capital, Madrid.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the situation as “dramatic” and urged residents to exercise extreme caution. Three major fires were reported west of Madrid, affecting the areas of Villa del Prado and San Martín de Valdeiglesias.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said about 40,000 people had either been evacuated or were in the process of being moved from the Cap Ferret peninsula, a popular coastal destination bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Bay of Arcachon on the other.

“A total of 80 homes have been destroyed by fire, with around 50 completely reduced to ashes,” he told reporters.

The mayor of Arès, a town located south-east of Lège-Cap Ferret on the Bay of Arcachon, said residents were also being evacuated as the fires continued to spread.

A local councillor said about 2,000 evacuees from the peninsula had already arrived by boat at the port of Arcachon, located on the southern side of the bay.

Further south along France’s Atlantic coast, another major wildfire in the Landes region has forced the evacuation of more than 23,000 people.

The blaze, which started on Thursday afternoon near the town of Biscarrosse, led to the evacuation of around 18,000 residents in Biscarrosse and another 5,000 people in Parentis-en-Born. Those affected include residents, holidaymakers at campsites, a nursing home, and children at a summer camp.

No new casualties have been reported overnight in south-west France, although two firefighters died on Tuesday while battling a wildfire near Bordeaux Airport.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday night that the wildfire situation across the country remained “very tense”, particularly in the Gironde region.

Macron said France had requested assistance from the European Union, with support expected to arrive in the form of firefighting aircraft from Croatia, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.

Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas ordered the “final phase” of the evacuation of the peninsula early on Friday morning.

Residents were instructed to leave through the main D106 road towards Bordeaux, while boats were made available for others between 07:00 and 10:00 local time from four piers.

The D106 is the only road route connecting the peninsula to the mainland and serves as the main evacuation route.

The Cap Ferret peninsula, which has a permanent population of fewer than 8,000 residents, sees its population rise to nearly ten times that figure during the busy summer tourist season.

In the wider Gironde region, about 20,000 people had been evacuated by Thursday, with many of those affected being visitors staying at campsites across the peninsula.

Additional evacuations were carried out in La Porge on Thursday evening. Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas said the operation was completed “calmly”.

She said evacuated neighbourhoods would remain under surveillance to protect properties and prevent acts of vandalism.

Firefighting efforts continue, with “significant resources” still deployed on the ground and further reinforcements, including additional crews and aircraft, expected to arrive soon.

Authorities have advised members of the public to avoid the affected areas as emergency teams continue efforts to contain the blaze.

In Spain, firefighters are battling wildfires in several areas near the capital, Madrid, as authorities declared a national emergency over the spreading blazes.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska announced the emergency declaration as fires continued to burn in Villa del Prado and San Martín de Valdeiglesias in the Madrid region, as well as in Burgohondo in the neighbouring province of Ávila.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the wildfires were “ravaging thousands of hectares” and affecting multiple communities.

“The government has deployed all available resources. It will stand by your side during the emergency and the recovery process,” Sánchez said.

Local emergency services said more than 10,000 people had been evacuated from affected areas.

A Friday morning update described the fires as “out of control”, although officials said their spread had slowed in recent hours.

The towns of Aldea del Fresno and several other communities in the region have also been evacuated as firefighters continue efforts to contain the flames.

-BBC

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