Wildfire near Bordeaux forces evacuation of 10,000

More than 10,000 people were evacuated overnight in southwestern France as a fast-moving wildfire burned through around 2,000 hectares of land west of Bordeaux, local authorities told Reuters on Thursday, July 23.

The blaze, which broke out near the Arcachon Bay — a popular tourist destination — prompted the evacuation of large numbers of holidaymakers, many of whom were staying at nearby campsites.

Around 500 firefighters have been deployed to contain the fire, the prefecture said, describing the wildfire as “very rough,” but adding that no injuries have been reported so far.

The incident comes amid a broader surge in wildfire activity across Europe. Data indicates that more land has already burned this year than the average annual total over the past two decades, as the continent — considered the world’s fastest-warming — has experienced three intense and nearly consecutive heatwaves.

By Tamilla Hasanova