France orders evacuation of Cap Ferret peninsula as wildfire spreads – Europe live
Wildfires in southwestern France have forced thousands to evacuate the Cap Ferret peninsula as the situation worsens. The French government has activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to secure additional water bomber aircraft to combat the flames.
Why it matters
The activation of international aid highlights the scale of the wildfire crisis and the necessity of cross-border cooperation in managing climate-related emergencies.
Thousands of people have been forced to flee parts of south-west France amid worsening wildfires that prompted the authorities to order people to evacuate from the Cap Ferret peninsula along the Atlantic coast.
A French Civil Security Canadair CL-415 aircraft sprays water on a forest surrounding Cotignac, southeastern France./Getty Images Evacuees have been told to leave the area before 10am, using hundreds of mobilised boats or the only road linking the area with the mainland.
Holidaymakers from Lege-Cap-Ferret carry their belongings along the pier upon their arrival in Arcachon during an evacuation operation of the entire Cap-Ferret peninsula in southwestern France./Getty Images More than 10,000 hectares are affected by the two concurrent wildfires, which last night crossed the firebreak established by firefighters.
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