France orders evacuation of tourist spot as hundreds flee wildfires by boat

French authorities have ordered the evacuation of the entirety of the Cap Ferret peninsula (Lège-Cap Ferret) on the south-west coast, with hundreds of people escaping the area by boat.

The tourism destination is being evacuated as firefighters continue to battle a wildfire that has raged in the Gironde region for days.

The fire, which began on Tuesday in Saumos, continued to burn overnight with 8,700 hectares (around 21,500 acres) consumed by the flames.

Meanwhile, the government in Spain has declared a national emergency as wildfires burn out of control in several areas close to the capital Madrid.

No further casualties have been reported overnight in south-west France, although two firefighters died on Tuesday while tackling a blaze near Bordeaux airport.

Down the Atlantic coast, around the town of Biscarosse in France’s Landes region, another “major” fire that began on Thursday afternoon has prompted the evacuations of more than 23,000 people.

About 18,000 people in Biscarrosse and 5,000 in Parentis-en-Born had to leave their homes, campsites, a nursing home and a summer camp.

An update from the region on Friday morning said the centre of Biscarrosse was currently being evacuated.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday night the wildfire situation in the country was “very tense” – especially in the Gironde region.

Macron said he had asked for help from the European Union, and that support would soon come in the form of aircraft from Croatia, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas ordered the “final phase” of the peninsula evacuation early on Friday morning.

People are being told to leave via the main D106 road towards Bordeaux while boats were being made available for others between 07:00 and 10:00 local time (06:00 BST and 09:00 BST) from four piers.

Around 20,000 people within the Gironde region had been evacuated on Thursday many of whom were visitors to campsites on the peninsula.

Further evacuations also took place from La Porge on Thursday night which Ms Brocas said had taken place “calmly”.

She added that homes in evacuated areas would be monitored to prevent any vandalism.

“Significant resources” remain on the ground tackling the blaze while additional ground and air reinforcements are due in the coming hours.

The public has been told not to go to the affected areas.

In Spain, firefighters are tackling wildfires in several areas not far from Madrid. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska declared a national emergency as fires burned at Villa del Prado and San Martín de Valdeiglesias in the Madrid region and at Burgohondo in Ávila.

An update on Friday morning described both fires as “out of control” although their progression in recent hours had been “limited”.

Aldea del Fresno and some other areas in the region have been evacuated.

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