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🇧🇪 Belgium /Disasters & Emergencies

Flemish tourists flee French wildfires near Bordeaux

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Several Flemish tourists in the Bordeaux region of France are urgently evacuating their holiday accommodations due to approaching wildfires.
  • The fires have already destroyed hundreds of hectares and are now threatening the city of Bordeaux, a popular destination for Belgians.
  • Tourists describe seeing orange skies and heavy smoke, with some forced to leave belongings behind while expressing sympathy for local residents who have lost everything.

Flemish tourists vacationing near Bordeaux, France, are being forced to flee their holiday homes as wildfires rapidly approach the region. The blazes have consumed hundreds of hectares of land and are now threatening the outskirts of Bordeaux, a city traditionally popular with Belgian visitors.

You know it's coming very close.

— DominiekDescribing the proximity of the wildfires based on the visible smoke and sky.

Travelers recount harrowing experiences of sudden evacuations. Dominiek from Kortrijk, staying in Andernos-les-Bains, noticed increased police and fire department activity before seeing an orange sky and thick smoke from his accommodation. "You know it's coming very close," he told VRT NWS. The owner of the rental property eventually ordered an evacuation, leaving Dominiek and his family scrambling to leave. "We had to leave certain things behind," he said, mentioning essential items like toiletries and phone chargers, but added, "Fortunately, these are things that can be quickly replaced. We are lucky we can pack our things and leave. It's especially hard for the local people who have lost everything."

It's especially hard for the local people who have lost everything.

— DominiekExpressing sympathy for local residents affected by the fires.

Frederik and Marilyn, also returning to Belgium, had their holiday in Prayssas, about 130 kilometers from Bordeaux, cut short. "Yesterday evening we were sitting on a terrace when suddenly a lot of wind, smoke, and ash came up," Marilyn described. "Panic broke out everywhere." Although their children were initially scared, the couple prioritized safety and decided to head home immediately. The journey back was marked by a significant presence of emergency vehicles heading towards the fires.

Yesterday evening we were sitting on a terrace, when suddenly a lot of wind, smoke, and ash came up.

— MarilynRecounting the sudden onset of the wildfire conditions during their holiday.

Another family, Hans and his relatives, experienced a dramatic shift from a relaxing beach day in Cassis to confronting the reality of the wildfires. "We were swimming when we suddenly saw a large plume of smoke in the north," Hans recalled. Initially hoping the fire would be quickly contained, his assumption proved false as soot particles began to fall from the sky. His white T-shirt was soon covered in ash, a stark reminder of the encroaching danger.

We were swimming when we suddenly saw a large plume of smoke in the north.

— HansDescribing the initial sighting of the wildfire smoke while on holiday.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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