French authorities cleared 84,000 evacuees on Thursday to return to their homes in southwest France after a massive wildfire, with cooler weather enabling the recovery effort. The evacuation clearance marks a major milestone in managing the large-scale fire emergency.
An Irish family's vacation in southwest France turned into a harrowing evacuation when wildfires swept through the region last week. James Halford described the chaos as his family fled the advancing flames.
Firefighters in southwest France are working to contain a vast wildfire threatening the Atlantic coast dunes as heat returns to the region in July 2026. The fire continues to present challenges as rising temperatures and drier conditions test firefighters' ability to maintain their grip on the blaze.
Fast-moving wildfires have forced thousands of residents and holidaymakers to evacuate across southwest France and central Spain. Emergency services are stretched thin as fires continue spreading rapidly across the region.