French authorities have ordered the evacuation of the entirety of the Cap Ferret peninsula (L\u00e8ge-Cap Ferret) on the south-west coast, with hundreds of people escaping the area by boat. <\/p>\n
The tourism destination is being evacuated as firefighters continue to battle a wildfire that has raged in the Gironde region for days.<\/p>\n
The fire, which began on Tuesday in Saumos, continued to burn overnight with 8,700 hectares (around 21,500 acres) consumed by the flames.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the government in Spain has declared a national emergency as wildfires burn out of control in several areas close to the capital Madrid.<\/p>\n
No further casualties have been reported overnight in south-west France, although two firefighters died on Tuesday while tackling a blaze near Bordeaux airport.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
An update from the region on Friday morning said the centre of Biscarrosse was currently being evacuated.<\/p>\n
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday night the wildfire situation in the country was “very tense” – especially in the Gironde region.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas ordered the “final phase” of the peninsula evacuation early on Friday morning.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n