French authorities have mandated the evacuation of the entire Cap Ferret peninsula on the southwest coast, leading to the evacuation of hundreds of residents via boat.
In total, tens of thousands of individuals have been evacuated. Firefighters are actively combating a “large-scale fire” in the Gironde region, a popular tourist destination located west of Bordeaux.
The ongoing wildfire, which ignited on Tuesday, has been raging for several days, with authorities reporting that approximately 10,000 hectares (about 25,000 acres) have been devastated by the flames.
In a related development, the Spanish government has declared a national state of emergency due to uncontrolled wildfires in several regions near Madrid.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez characterized the situation as “dramatic” and cautioned citizens to exercise extreme caution. Three significant fires have erupted west of Madrid in Villa del Prado and San Martín de Valdeiglesias.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed that around 40,000 individuals have been or are in the process of being evacuated from the Cap Ferret peninsula, which is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and Arcachon Bay on the other.
Local governor Sophie Brocas indicated that 53 homes and campsites have been lost, although 2,000 homes have been successfully protected.
A local lawmaker reported that 2,000 evacuees from the peninsula have already arrived by boat at the port of Arcachon, located on the southern side of the bay.
Fire and Rescue Chief Mark Vermeulen added that the wildfire spread rapidly from late Thursday into early Friday morning, prompting authorities to initiate the evacuation of the town of Ares, situated southeast of Lèges-Cap-Ferret on Arcachon Bay, on Friday morning.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk