Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from southwestern France and central Spain as intense wildfires fueled by prolonged heatwaves continue to spread across the region. Authorities in France ordered the complete evacuation of the Cap Ferret peninsula, a popular and upscale holiday destination on the Atlantic coast near Bordeaux, prompting thousands of tourists and residents to flee by road and emergency ferry.
French officials reported that around 40,000 people had left or were in the process of leaving Cap Ferret, with some forced to depart by boat due to the peninsula’s single access road being at risk of closure. The wildfires have burned approximately 10,000 to 19,000 hectares of forest in the Gironde area, with estimates varying between sources. At least 80 homes have been destroyed, and 44,000 people have been evacuated from the wider Gironde region. Additional evacuations have taken place near Biscarrosse, where more than 2,500 hectares have been consumed by fire, affecting about 31,000 residents.
French authorities deployed roughly 800 firefighters supported by multiple water-bombing aircraft from France and other European countries. President Emmanuel Macron described the situation as “extremely intense” and activated the European Union’s civil protection mechanism, requesting firefighting assistance from nations including Croatia, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Despite ongoing efforts, the fire remained out of control as of Friday, with strong winds and dry conditions complicating containment.
Two French firefighters lost their lives earlier this week battling blazes near Bordeaux airport, and dozens of others have been injured. The fires come amid a series of record-breaking heatwaves that have gripped western Europe, exacerbating drought conditions and significantly increasing wildfire risks. France has seen more than 50,000 hectares burned this year, roughly triple the area affected by this time last year.
In southeastern France, the village of Cotignac and surrounding areas have also experienced dozens of fires fanned by the mistral wind, resulting in the destruction of around 25 homes and ongoing firefighting challenges.
Meanwhile, Spain declared a national emergency for the first time in response to several wildfires near Madrid and neighboring provinces. Approximately 40,000 residents have been evacuated or confined to their homes as two major blazes merged into one near the capital, with a third blaze threatening to join the others. The Spanish interior ministry emphasized efforts to prevent the fires from combining further to avoid increased intensity.
Madrid’s regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, called the situation the worst wildfire event in the region’s history, highlighting the “unprecedented” nature of the combination of extreme heat and strong winds. Over 270 personnel including firefighters, forest rangers, and military units have been mobilized to contain the fires. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez convened emergency meetings and pledged full government support for firefighting and recovery operations.
Across both countries, climate scientists link the heightened wildfire activity to accelerating climate change, noting that Europe is warming at roughly twice the global average. The prolonged drought and heat conditions have created tinderbox environments, leading to an unusually severe and sustained wildfire season affecting areas from the Atlantic coast in France to central Spain. The European Forest Fire Information System reported that the area burned by mid-July in 2026 is about twice the average extent for that date over the past 20 years.
No civilian fatalities have been reported so far in the current outbreaks, but the scale of evacuations and property losses underscores the increasing threat posed by wildfires in the region. Authorities continue to urge residents and tourists to heed evacuation orders and remain vigilant as firefighting efforts continue amid challenging weather conditions.