Up to 10,000 evacuated as wildfire tears through Biscarrosse, France

Authorities are moving between 9,000 and 10,000 people to safety after a wildfire burned 1,200 hectares near Biscarrosse in France’s Landes department, prefect Gilles Clavreul said late Thursday.

The fire started around 3:50 p.m. when a van caught fire along the RD652 between Biscarrosse and Sanguinet, then spread into the pine forest, driven by wind gusts reaching 37 km/h. Two hundred firefighters and 70 gendarmes are deployed. Air support — two Canadairs, a Dash and the Dragon 64 water-bombing helicopter — was grounded at nightfall.

The RD652 is closed, with traffic diverted via Sanguinet and Parentis-en-Born. The Arcanson hall in Biscarrosse has been opened to receive evacuees. Officials describe the situation as unfavourable.

The Landes is under red alert for forest fires. Resources are stretched: a separate major blaze is burning simultaneously in neighbouring Gironde, near Lège-Cap-Ferret, where more than 3,400 hectares have burned.