Wildfire in Gironde: Cap-Ferret evacuated, water evacuation prepared

Lège-Cap-Ferret – 24/07/2026: Due to a spreading wildfire in Gironde, the prefecture on Friday ordered the immediate evacuation of the entire Cap-Ferret peninsula. According to authorities, the fire crossed a containment line held by emergency crews overnight. Several locations in the north of the peninsula had already been evacuated as a precaution.

The order now also applies to the districts further south on the long strip of land between the Atlantic and the Bassin d’Arcachon. Authorities called on residents and holidaymakers to leave the affected areas without delay and follow the instructions of emergency and security forces. No information on possible return times was available on Friday morning.

The situation is particularly delicate because the peninsula is essentially accessible via only one road connection. If the fire spreads quickly, traffic jams occur, or this route is threatened, departure by land may be restricted. For this reason, a special evacuation plan by sea was adopted for Lège-Cap-Ferret as early as July 2023.

This plan provides for the mobilization of additional ships and boats if road transport is no longer sufficient or can no longer be carried out safely. The Gironde prefecture and the Atlantic maritime prefecture are coordinating assistance on the water. Assembly points, information for those affected, and the specific order of evacuation will be determined according to the operational situation.

The existence of such a plan does not automatically mean that it has already been fully activated. The current notices confirm the ordered evacuation of the peninsula, but contain no reliable information as to whether people are actually being evacuated by ship on a large scale on Friday. The sea route therefore remains a prepared safety option should the situation worsen further.

In recent days, the fire had spread in the north of the Bassin d’Arcachon and affected large forest areas. Emergency crews are concentrating on protecting residential areas and preventing the flames from advancing further toward the heavily visited coastal resorts. The number of people affected as a precaution rose significantly with the additional evacuation orders.

For the public, it is crucial not to return independently to threatened areas and to keep following official warnings. Authorities may close transport routes, access points to beaches, and individual districts at short notice. The responsible authorities are to provide ongoing updates on the further use of the evacuation plan and the development of the fire.