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🇫🇷 France /Disasters & Emergencies

France's Landes Region: Over 23,000 Evacuated as 'Apocalyptic' Wildfire Rages

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Over 23,000 people have been evacuated in the Landes region of France due to a rapidly progressing wildfire.
  • The blaze, described as "apocalyptic," started when a van caught fire and spread into the surrounding forest, burning over 1,000 hectares.
  • This new major fire occurs while 800 firefighters are still battling another large blaze near the Arcachon basin, highlighting a severe wildfire season exacerbated by heatwaves and dry conditions.

A massive wildfire in France's Landes region has forced the evacuation of over 23,000 people as flames continue to advance. Prefect Gilles Clavreul announced the escalating evacuation numbers Friday morning, with the fire progressing overnight despite efforts to contain it.

Apocalyptic fire

— Colonel Romain MoutardDeputy Director of the Landes Fire and Rescue Service, describing the intensity of the wildfire.

The blaze reportedly ignited when a van caught fire on a departmental road, quickly spreading into the dense forest. Firefighters described the situation as "apocalyptic" and "dantesque," with multiple "fire jumps" creating new, independent blazes. The fire started violently around 4 p.m. and has already consumed more than 1,000 hectares, reaching the outskirts of Biscarrosse.

dantesque

— Colonel Romain MoutardDeputy Director of the Landes Fire and Rescue Service, further describing the severity of the wildfire situation.

This latest inferno adds to the strain on emergency services, as 800 firefighters are simultaneously battling another significant fire about 30 kilometers north, near the Arcachon basin, which began on Wednesday. The scale of these fires underscores a particularly severe wildfire season in France.

At total, we are now at more than 23,000 people evacuated.

— Gilles ClavreulThe Prefect of Landes, announcing the latest evacuation figures on ICI Gascogne radio.

According to government figures, over 12,500 fires have been recorded since January. The total area burned this year already exceeds that of 2022, when fires scorched nearly 30,000 hectares in the Landes de Gascogne forest and led to the evacuation of approximately 50,000 people in Gironde. Months of dry vegetation and soil, intensified by recent exceptional heatwaves, have created tinderbox conditions across the country.

the fire continued to progress

— Gilles ClavreulThe Prefect of Landes, updating on the wildfire's advancement overnight.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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