French authorities have issued an order for the complete evacuation of the Cap Ferret peninsula on the country's south-west coast. The directive comes as tens of thousands of people are being moved out of the popular tourism destination west of Bordeaux, with firefighters continuing to battle intense wildfires that have been raging across the Gironde region for several days.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed that approximately 40,000 people have either been evacuated or are currently in the process of leaving the peninsula, which is situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Arcachon.
Regarding property damage, the minister noted that 80 homes have been affected by the flames, with roughly 50 of those structures completely destroyed.
The fires, which first broke out on Tuesday in Saumos, have already consumed 8,700 hectares, or approximately 21,500 acres, of land. Early on Friday morning, Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas ordered the final phase of the peninsula's evacuation. Residents and visitors were instructed to depart via the D106 road, which serves as the only land route out of the area, running along the eastern side of the peninsula.
Additionally, authorities organized boat transport from four piers between 07:00 and 10:00 local time to assist with the exodus. The mayor of Arès, located south-east of Lège-Cap Ferret, confirmed that his town is also being evacuated, while a local councillor reported that 2,000 evacuees from the peninsula had already arrived by boat at the port of Arcachon.
Further along the Atlantic coast, a separate major fire that began on Thursday afternoon near the town of Biscarrosse in the Landes region has triggered the evacuation of more than 23,000 people. This includes approximately 18,000 individuals in Biscarrosse and 5,000 in Parentis-en-Born who were forced to leave homes, campsites, a nursing home, and a summer camp.
While no further casualties were reported overnight, two firefighters tragically died on Tuesday while battling a blaze near the Bordeaux airport.
President Emmanuel Macron described the wildfire situation in France as very tense, particularly in the Gironde region. He confirmed that he has requested assistance from the European Union, with support expected to arrive in the form of aircraft from Croatia, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
Prefect Sophie Brocas noted that evacuations from La Porge on Thursday night were conducted calmly and assured the public that homes in evacuated areas would be monitored to prevent vandalism. Significant resources remain on the ground to combat the blazes, with additional reinforcements expected in the coming hours. The public has been strictly advised to avoid the affected areas.
Meanwhile, the government in Spain has declared a national emergency as wildfires burn out of control in several areas near Madrid. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the situation as dramatic and urged citizens to exercise extreme caution.
Fires are currently burning west of Madrid at Villa del Prado and San Martín de Valdeiglesias, as well as at Burgohondo in Ávila. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska confirmed that more than 10,000 people have been evacuated in Spain.
Prime Minister Sánchez stated that the fires are ravaging thousands of hectares and affecting numerous communities, adding that the government has deployed all available resources to assist in the emergency and recovery efforts. Although an update on Friday morning indicated that the progression of the fires had been limited, they remain officially classified as out of control, with evacuations already carried out in Aldea del Fresno and other nearby areas.
People are being told to leave via the main D106 road towards Bordeaux while boats were being made available for others between 07:00 and 10:00 local time (06:00 BST and 09:00 BST) from four piers.
The Cap Ferret peninsula has a year-round population of just under 8,000 but that can swell by 10 times that number in peak season.
