Some 20,000 people have been evacuated from the Cap Ferret peninsula in south-west France as firefighters continue to battle a wildfire that has been raging in the Gironde region for days.
Authorities have ordered everyone to leave the peninsula, a popular tourist hotspot on the Atlantic coast, which is best known for its dune-backed sandy beaches and oyster shacks.
They are telling people to leave via the main road that connects the peninsula to the mainland, while boats were also made available this morning to help others get away.
Homes, campsites and other holiday rentals are all being evacuated.
The fire began in the village of Saumos on Tuesday,and progressed further towards Lege-Cap-Ferret overnight, with around 21,500 acres burnt, according to the BBC.
French President Emmanuel Macron described the wildfire situation in the country, including the Gironde region, as ‘very tense’.
He has requested help from the European Union, and France’s firefighting efforts are expected to be supported by aircraft from Croatia, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Meanwhile, the Spanish government has declared a national emergency after a series of wildfires threatened communities near Madrid and in the neighbouring province of Avila, according to Reuters.
More than 10,000 people have been forced to evacuate the area while firefighters tackle the blaze.
Spain’s Interior Ministry said the decision to evacuate was taken because of the simultaneous outbreak of several fires, adverse weather conditions, and the need to mobilise extensive resources from different public administrations, which increased the complexity of firefighting and civil protection efforts, Reuters reported.
