More than 20,000 people evacuated from Bay of Arcachon as heatwaves sweep Europe
More than 20,000 people have been evacuated from the Bay of Arcachon in southwestern France due to rapidly spreading wildfires. The fires are occurring amidst a severe European heatwave that has already caused significant excess mortality.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the increasing frequency and severity of climate-driven natural disasters in Europe, posing significant risks to public safety and infrastructure.
— 2:29pm , first published July 24, 2026 — 5:58am
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Share A A A London: More than 20,000 people are fleeing a wildfire in southern France after flames spread rapidly through a bayside area busy with families on school holidays, in the latest emergency of a European summer marked by intense heat and dry conditions.
French authorities said more than 700 firefighters were trying to contain the blaze around the Bay of Arcachon, west of Bordeaux, as they asked families at beachside campsites to leave overnight to avoid being trapped by the flames.
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