France: Massive wildfire engulfs Cap Ferret forests, thousands evacuated
A large wildfire has swept through the Cap Ferret peninsula in southwestern France, burning 8,700 hectares and forcing the evacuation of the entire peninsula as over 5,000 people fled.
A massive wildfire that started accidentally on 22 July near Saumos, north of Arcachon Bay, rapidly spread through dense pine forests towards the Cap Ferret peninsula. Driven by strong winds, the flames advanced south along the narrow strip of woodland, flanked by the Atlantic Ocean and Arcachon Bay.
By Friday, the blaze had scorched about 8,700 hectares. Authorities ordered the complete evacuation of the peninsula by road and boat. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported that around 80 homes were damaged, about 50 of them destroyed, with no fatalities. Mayor Philippe de Gonneville said that 5,300 people, mostly from campsites, were evacuated overnight alone.
Around 700 firefighters, supported by water-bombing aircraft, remain deployed. Access to the peninsula is restricted to emergency personnel. The wildfire occurs during France's third heatwave of 2026. According to Nunez, over 12,500 wildfires have broken out nationwide since the start of the year, burning more than 44,000 hectares.
