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France wildfires: Tens of thousands flee homes amid fear and uncertainty

From FBC News · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Tens of thousands have evacuated southwestern France due to raging wildfires, with winds shifting smoke and fumes into nearby cities.
  • French President Emmanuel Macron has enlisted the military to aid firefighters battling fires across the country, following a record heatwave that caused nearly 6,000 excess deaths.
  • Evacuees express disbelief, disappointment, and fear for the future as they wait in makeshift centers, uncertain of when they can return home.

Raging wildfires have forced the evacuation of nearly 197,000 people from southwestern France, encircling the popular tourist destination of Cap Ferret. Mohammed Laabar, a 35-year-old truck driver, fled his hometown with his wife and son, only to find smoke and fumes from the fires engulfing their temporary refuge in Bordeaux.

We’ll see this more often in the future, that’s for sure.

— Mohammed LaabarA 35-year-old truck driver, Mohammed Laabar, shared his thoughts on the recurring wildfires while at a makeshift evacuation center in Bordeaux.

"We'll see this more often in the future, that's for sure," Laabar told Reuters, reflecting the apocalyptic scenes defining France's scorching summer of 2026. The fires have prompted President Emmanuel Macron to deploy the military to support exhausted firefighters. This comes after a record-breaking heatwave resulted in nearly 6,000 excess deaths.

At a makeshift evacuation center in Bordeaux, hundreds spent the night amidst disbelief, disappointment, and fear. Bernadette, 71, fretted about her home in Lège-Cap-Ferret, which she evacuated with "very little time to leave." She lamented leaving behind essential items like her eye medication, highlighting the suddenness and chaos of the evacuations.

I left without any of my things, with nothing, with the two little children. I forgot plenty of things, my eye medications, everything.

— BernadetteA 71-year-old evacuee, Bernadette, described the hurried departure from her home in Lège-Cap-Ferret.

Bernadette has moved multiple times as the fires spread, barely sleeping. "I was at Lège, after that Andernos, and after that Bordeaux. And then now there's fire here too," she said, gesturing towards the smoke visible and palpable in Bordeaux. "I'm going to scream."

I was at Lège, after that Andernos, and after that Bordeaux. And then now there’s fire here too. I’m going to scream.

— BernadetteBernadette described her multiple evacuations as fires spread and expressed her distress.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by FBC News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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