Irish woman recalls moment her family knew they had to flee French wildfires

Wildfires in southern France spread with alarming speed due to strong winds, forcing an Irish woman and her family to evacuate their holiday campsite. Kim O’Connell recounted the terrifying experience on Thursday, describing how smoke quickly moved towards their location by the pool.

"We saw smoke moving in our direction," O'Connell told RTÉ Radio 1. "People started to leave so we did the same." The family rushed back to their accommodation to gather essential items like their children's toys and passports before evacuating on foot along the beach.

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We saw smoke moving in our direction. People started to leave so we did the same.

After a 40-minute walk, they reached a port and secured a taxi as the fire intensified. O'Connell described the transformation of the fire from a white smoke plume to a brown one, accompanied by the sound of exploding gas canisters. "It was obviously scary for my children," she said, noting the escalating noise and flames driven by strong winds.

French authorities reported that three fires, two near Marseille, had burned approximately 1,210 hectares. Thousands have been evacuated, and fire crews made progress on a large outbreak in the Hérault, Aude, and Bouches-du-Rhône departments. The Irish embassy in Paris is providing consular assistance to affected citizens.

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It was obviously scary for my children.