Wildfire Near Bordeaux Forces Evacuation of Thousands of Tourists

Thousands of tourists were evacuated from France's Atlantic coast near Bordeaux as a wildfire spread rapidly. The blaze, which started Wednesday morning in the town of Saumos, had expanded to cover 800 hectares by Wednesday evening, according to the Bordeaux prefecture.

Firefighting efforts are challenged by extremely unfavorable weather conditions. A significant force of 500 firefighters, supported by four water-bombing aircraft and 150 vehicles, is engaged in combating the flames. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported in connection with the current wildfire.

For safety reasons, the prefect of the Gironde department ordered extensive evacuations. Approximately 700 residents from two districts in Le Porge were compelled to leave their homes. The "La Grigne" campsite in Le Porge, accommodating around 3,500 holidaymakers, was also cleared. Evacuees were directed to the nearby resort town of Lacanau. A beach in Le Porge, with about 600 vehicles, was also evacuated.

Authorities have placed the Gironde department under the highest wildfire alert level, red, and urged strict adherence to official instructions and extreme caution. The evacuations and road closures were coordinated by about 90 gendarmes. This incident follows a tragic event on Tuesday, where two firefighters lost their lives after being trapped by flames in their vehicle during a separate wildfire near the Bordeaux airport.