France Orders Total Evacuation of Cap Ferret as Wildfire Rages

The emergency evacuation order affects the entire Atlantic coast peninsula, with residents and holidaymakers being removed by both land and sea routes, according to Guardian Environment. The blaze has been described by officials as “intense and highly unpredictable” as it advances toward the popular resort area.

Laurent Nuñez, France’s interior minister, confirmed on Friday that the fire had burned through 10,000 hectares—approximately 24,700 acres—with evacuation operations underway for 40,000 people, including thousands of tourists staying in campsites and rental properties across the region.

Boats began ferrying people off four piers on the peninsula early Friday morning after the Gironde prefecture issued progressive evacuation orders proceeding “village by village.” Evacuees are being transported either by sea or via the single road connecting the peninsula to the mainland.

Cap Ferret, known as a retreat for French and international holidaymakers and home to numerous celebrity villas and millionaire estates, now faces an unprecedented threat. Approximately 800 firefighters supported by four water-bombing aircraft are battling the Gironde blaze north of Arcachon Bay, but the fire remains unstabilized.

The wildfire began Wednesday near the village of Saumos, located roughly 25 miles west of Bordeaux. Numerous roads throughout the area have been closed to all but essential traffic, and at least 80 houses have been destroyed by flames.

Second Major Fire Compounds Regional Crisis

A second wildfire burning farther south near the holiday resort of Biscarrosse has consumed more than 2,500 hectares and forced the evacuation of approximately 25,000 people, according to Landes prefect Gilles Clavreul.

More than 600 firefighters are working to contain that blaze, though Clavreul warned the situation remains dire. The fire front appears extremely dangerous, with numerous new fire starts occurring ahead of the main blaze, creating what he described as a “highly dynamic and unfavourable” situation.

In tinder-dry conditions and fanned by strong winds, both blazes have torn through coastal pine forests with flames reaching up to 10 meters in height. The current crisis recalls the 2022 wildfire in the south-west that burned more than 30,000 hectares and forced 50,000 people to evacuate.

Macron Activates EU Civil Protection Mechanism

French President Emmanuel Macron has activated the European Union’s civil protection mechanism as the country battles multiple wildfires, primarily in the south-west and south-east regions. France has endured three nearly consecutive heatwaves since May.

Macron announced that reinforcements would soon arrive from European partners, including two Croatian aircraft, two Portuguese planes, and two heavy helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. He characterized the situation as “extremely intense.”

Nuñez reported Friday that 32 wildfires of varying size and intensity were burning across France, with 50,000 hectares already scorched this year—nearly four times the total recorded by the same date last year. About 800 firefighters are also battling a blaze in the south-eastern Var area, where improving weather conditions are allowing some firefighting resources to be redeployed to the south-west.

Record-Breaking Fire Season Across Europe

Data from the European Forest Fire Information System shows the severity of fires across the EU has broken records for this time of year, with approximately twice as much land burned by July 22 compared to the average for that date over the past two decades.

Spain’s government took the exceptional step of declaring a national emergency on Thursday night after wildfires threatened communities near Madrid and in the neighbouring province of Ávila, forcing more than 10,000 people to evacuate.

The Spanish interior ministry said the decision was made due to the simultaneous outbreak of several fires, adverse weather conditions, and the need to mobilise extensive resources from multiple public administrations. A national emergency has only been declared once before in Spain—during the nationwide blackout in April 2025.

The regional government of Madrid requested assistance, describing the situation as one of “extreme gravity.” It warned that at least four active fires could advance beyond current extinguishing capacity, with the fires remaining uncontained on Friday.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez chaired an emergency response meeting at the Moncloa palace Friday morning as the state meteorological office warned that the danger of additional fires remained very high or extreme across affected regions.

With information from Guardian Environment