Approximately 12,000 people have been evacuated from southwestern France as wildfires rage in the Gironde region, local prefect Sophie Brocas said. The flames have destroyed 2,400 hectares (5,900 acres) around the Bay of Arcachon.

Most of those evacuated overnight were tourists at campsites on the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula, with 10,000 visitors moved. Brocas stated the evacuations were proceeding “calmly” and no injuries were reported.

Gironde fire service chief Marc Vermeulen warned that rising temperatures and strengthening winds are complicating efforts. “The work was relentless all night. The wind will peak at 8 p.m., and we’ll have to deal with highly variable winds, making the fire difficult to predict,” he said.

Two firefighters died earlier this week battling a separate blaze near Bordeaux airport. In the Var region of southeastern France, evacuated residents were allowed to return home but cautioned about re-ignition risks due to afternoon winds.

Wildfires have also broken out in Spain and Italy. Residents were evacuated near Toledo, south of Madrid, and a firefighter died after falling ill while tackling a blaze in Sicily. A report from the Copernicus Climate Change Service found that at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures in 2025, with the continent identified as the fastest-warming.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk