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Bordeaux wildfires trigger evacuation of over 20,000 residents and tourists
A fast‑spreading forest fire that broke out on Wednesday near the village of Saumos, west of Bordeaux, has burned roughly 3,300–3,400 hectares of pine forest in the Gironde department. The blaze, fueled by high temperatures above 30 °C, strong winds and dry conditions, quickly reached the tourist‑heavy Cap‑Ferret coastline. Authorities evacuated about 8,800 residents and another 12,000 visitors – roughly 20,000 people in total – from the towns of Claouey, Le Porge and surrounding camps.
Around 800 firefighters, supported by 700‑plus additional crews, gendarmes, soldiers and aerial assets (Canadair, Air Tractor, Dash, helicopters) are fighting the fire. The European Union dispatched three water‑bombing aircraft under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism after France activated the aid protocol. Prefect Sophie Brocas warned that conditions remain “unfavourable, with a mis‑oriented wind.” Mayor Philippe de Gonneville of Le Cap‑Ferret said “the weather is not on our side.” Two firefighters have died in a separate incident near Bordeaux‑Mérignac airport earlier in the week, but no injuries have been reported from the current blaze.