Despite Evacuation Order, Residents Remain at Cap Ferret Near Wildfire

Lège-Cap-Ferret – 28.07.2026: As firefighters continue to battle the major blaze in Gironde, several dozen residents of the Cap Ferret peninsula have remained in their homes despite an official evacuation order. According to a report by Franceinfo, they want to protect their village and their property, and in some cases support the firefighters. Authorities ordered the evacuation because the fire, which originated in Saumos, was spreading toward the coastal towns.

According to the Gendarmerie nationale, the evacuation affected tens of thousands of people on the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula. Police and gendarmerie monitored the measures, informed the public and visited homes. In addition to fighting the fire, emergency services must prevent people from returning to threatened or already closed-off areas.

The municipality of Lège-Cap-Ferret said that the evacuation of the peninsula had proceeded in an orderly manner. At the same time, it explicitly urged evacuees not to return to the municipal area on their own initiative. Depending on local conditions, special safety instructions applied to people who could not leave or who were still in certain zones. The further development of the fire could not initially be predicted with certainty.

In recent days, the fire has significantly disrupted transport and supplies in the region. In addition to road connections, authorities also used boats for the evacuation. The planned water transport was intended to relieve the peninsula’s only main access route and provide an alternative in case traffic jams or the spread of the fire blocked the land route. The gendarmerie deployed extensive resources to the operation.

Four wide firebreaks were also created on the peninsula. Volunteer helpers, military personnel and specialist companies took part in the work. The firebreaks are intended to deprive the flames of combustible material, slow their spread and give firefighters safer access to threatened sections. They cannot replace an evacuation: wind, smoke and embers can change the situation within a short time.

Anyone who remains in the danger zone despite an order exposes themselves to a high level of risk and may require additional rescue personnel in an emergency. Possible operations are made more difficult by changing conditions at night, poor visibility in smoke and roads that can become impassable at short notice. Even the desire to protect homes or help emergency services does not change the restrictions in force.

According to the municipality, the situation had recently not worsened further in parts of the peninsula. However, this did not amount to general authorization to return. The responsible authorities decide when closed-off areas can be reopened based on the development of the fire and the safety of transport routes.