'You can see climate change happening all around', says Cork family caught up in French wildfire

Climate change and extreme weather arising from it now has to be a consideration for any holidaymaker going to certain regions, family said

The extended Moynihan family from Ballinlough, who were evacuated from their campsite in Argelès-sur-Mer after a devastating wildfire.

Climate change is now a real consideration for any tourist considering holidays every summer, a Cork family in the midst of devastating wildfires in the French Mediterranean has said.

Humphrey and Marie Moynihan, from Ballinlough, and their extended family are in the Argelès-sur-Mer region of southeastern France near the Spanish border, which has seen about 3,000 people evacuated in recent days from campsites.

It is a perennial favourite spot for Irish families, including a number from Cork, for its stunning location and activities for all ages to enjoy. 

However, it has not seen rain for about a year and the ground was like a tinderbox waiting to go up, according to Humphrey.

"The wind kept on changing when the fire was burning and we were wondering if it would come to us. 

It's a glorious place but the lack of rain has meant worries about the damage that even a single discarded cigarette butt could do.

"Last weekend was the second evacuation in two weeks. We were lucky this time that the fire didn't make it to our campsite but others were destroyed. 

The wildfire in the Pyrénées-Orientales region in the south of France, an area popular with Irish families.

"The bravery and organisation of the firefighters was something to behold. There is real appreciation for them in France, they have been amazing," he said.

Marie said climate change and extreme weather arising from it now has to be a consideration for any holidaymaker going to certain regions.

'Traumatising'

"It was quite traumatising for small children being rounded up and evacuated into cars to hurry away, they were very upset and frightened. We get out early this time and luckily we barely got a whiff of it. 

"There's currently no water in the river next to us, whereas before you'd go down with the dogs and the children. The water is gone, it's so dry. You can definitely see climate change happening all around."

Their daughter Audrey Cummins said initially they did not think the situation was too bad because their own campsite remained intact, but got a shock when they ventured beyond.

Tenerife is experiencing its worst wildfire in decades. Picture: Andres Gutierrez/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

"Two weeks ago, there was a smaller fire across the road and that was frightening enough because we could see it from our own campsite. But this time, when we saw the smoke, we knew we just needed to leave.

It's only when you go out on the road afterwards and see the devastation that you realise how close it came to us. There are sites burned to the ground, it's surreal."

Meanwhile in Tenerife, up to 75,000 have either been evacuated or told to stay inside as the worst wildfires in decades edged closer to the island's capital Santa Cruz on Thursday.

More than 250 firefighters plus 17 aircraft and military backup have been battling the fire, which has razed nearly 6,500 acres of land since it started on Tuesday in the northeast of Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands.

Regional president of the Canaries Fernando Clavijo, said: "This is probably the most complicated blaze we’ve had on the Canary Islands — if not ever, at least in the past 40 years."