More than 20,000 evacuated after intense wildfire in France

Reception centres open to thousands of evacuees after blaze begins in pine forest 45km west of Bordeaux

A man looks at a wildfire wich burns the Fontainebleau forest in Milly-la-Foret near Paris during a heatwave affecting large parts of France, July 13, 2026. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe 

More than 20,000 people, including thousands of tourists from campsites and other holiday accommodation, have been evacuated as a “particularly intense” wildfire advances on the Atlantic coast of south-west France, authorities have said.

The blaze, which began in dense pine forest near the village of Saumos about 40km (25 miles) west of Bordeaux and just north of the bay of Arcachon, a popular tourist destination, had burned 2,400 hectares (5,928 acres) in less than 24 hours, firefighters said on Thursday.