France and Spain wildfires July 2026: 160,000 evacuated

As of July 25, 2026, the largest wildfires in France are burning in **southwest France**, primarily in the **Gironde** and **Landes** departments. The fires have reached the Atlantic coast, forcing the evacuation of the entire **Cap-Ferret peninsula** near Arcachon and Bordeaux, a major summer tourist destination. Approximately **12,500 hectares** have burned in southwest France in this wave. Sources: France24, CNN.

More than **160,000 people** have been evacuated across France and Spain as of July 25, 2026. In France alone, approximately **141,000 people** have been evacuated: around **110,000 in Gironde** and **31,000 in Landes**. In Spain, approximately **63,000 people** were evacuated near Madrid as fires burned west of the capital. Sources: France24, La Presse, CNN.

Yes. The **entire Cap-Ferret peninsula** was evacuated by road and boat as part of the July 2026 wildfire response in the Gironde. Cap-Ferret, a popular Atlantic coast resort near Arcachon and Bordeaux, was emptied as part of the 110,000-person evacuation order covering the Gironde department. Residents and tourists were directed away from the area by both road transport and boat across the Arcachon Basin. Sources: France24, CNN.

The July 2026 wildfires in France and Spain are driven by **record heat waves and drought** that have persisted across Western Europe since June 2026. Prolonged dry conditions have left vegetation highly combustible, and intense summer heat has accelerated fire spread. Climate scientists have linked the increasing frequency and scale of such fires to long-term climate change, which makes extreme heat events more likely and more intense in Western Europe. Sources: France24, CNN, Le Monde.

As of July 25, 2026, more than **12,500 hectares** have burned in southwest France in the current wildfire outbreak. The fires are primarily in the **Gironde** and **Landes** departments. Spain's fires near Madrid have burned approximately **6,000 hectares** west of the capital. Combined, the France-Spain wildfire outbreak has destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of forest, farmland, and coastal vegetation. Sources: France24, La Presse.

No. As of July 25, 2026, fires burning **west of Madrid** in Spain are not under control; approximately **63,000 people** have been evacuated and two separate fires have merged, complicating firefighting efforts. Spain and France are both receiving European Civil Protection Mechanism assistance, including Canadair aircraft and firefighting reinforcements. Conditions including extreme heat and dry winds are hampering containment. Sources: France24, CNN.

The areas most affected by the July 2026 wildfires near Bordeaux are in the **Gironde department**, with approximately **110,000 people evacuated**. The most prominent evacuation is the **Cap-Ferret peninsula**, evacuated by both road and boat, along with communes in the Landes de Gascogne and Arcachon basin. The fires recall the catastrophic 2022 Gironde fires that burned over 26,000 hectares; the 2026 outbreak is on a similar scale. Sources: France24, Le Monde.

For official and live updates on wildfire evacuations in France, consult: **Préfecture de la Gironde** and **Préfecture des Landes** social media accounts and official websites; **France Bleu Gironde** radio (89.0 FM); the national crisis website **georisques.gouv.fr**; and the **Vigifeu** fire risk platform. International coverage is available on France24, Le Monde, and BFM TV. If you are in an evacuation zone, follow official instructions immediately and do not return until authorities confirm it is safe. Sources: georisques.gouv.fr, France24.