# France evacuates tourist hotspot as wildfires rage Thousands flee by boat as fires spread uncontrollably - **Source:** [BBC News](https://brifing.si/source/647b890e-c85e-45b8-9588-ccfecdec4a99) - **Published:** 2026-07-24 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/60c7f2bf-f20a-40d7-90a4-2beb0df4d297 ## Fire alert in southwestern France The entire Cap Ferret peninsula in France's Gironde region was evacuated due to raging wildfires. Authorities reported hundreds of people were transported away by boats. The fire, which started Tuesday in Saumos, has already consumed over 8,700 hectares of land. ## Spain declares national emergency Meanwhile, Spain declared a national emergency as uncontrolled fires burned near Madrid. In France, two firefighters died battling blazes near Bordeaux airport. Over 23,000 people were evacuated from Biscarosse in the Landes region as another major fire spread. ## Macron calls for EU assistance French President Emmanuel Macron described the wildfire situation as 'very tense' and requested help from the European Union. Air support is expected from Croatia, Portugal, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas announced the 'final phase' of peninsula evacuations. ## Evacuations continue by land and sea Evacuations by boat were scheduled between 7-10 AM local time from four piers, while residents were advised to use the D106 road toward Bordeaux. On Thursday, 20,000 people - mostly campers - were evacuated from Gironde. Nighttime evacuations also occurred from La Porge. ## Security measures intensified Prefect Brocas stated evacuated homes would be monitored to prevent vandalism. 'Significant resources' remain deployed against the fires, with additional ground and air reinforcements expected soon. Authorities warned the public to avoid affected areas. ## The harsh face of climate crisis These massive fires in France and Spain highlight the Mediterranean region's vulnerability to climate change. Occurring during peak tourism season, the disasters may cause substantial economic losses. European nations need to strengthen collective firefighting mechanisms against such growing threats. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdx82rl5g0do?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._