France evacuates hundreds as new wildfire threatens southwestern Landes region

French authorities evacuated 525 villagers after a wildfire broke out in the pine woods of the southwestern Landes region, near an area already devastated by major blazes this summer.

The ‌fire, which razed 1,100 hectares (2,700 ⁠acres) after it began on Thursday, spread to within 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) ‌of the centre of the village of Luglon, ⁠regional official Gilles Clavreul told reporters on Friday.

“The situation is unfavourable,” he said, adding that 500 firefighters were tackling the flames, with ‌the help of six aircraft sent to assist.

"The next fifteen hours will be decisive," Clavreul told reporters.

Fire chief Arnaud Fabre said the fire was slowing down but he added he was concerned about potential flare-ups as the heat returns.

Police took 525 in the village to safety, with ‌road links to the north and south closed.

No homes have been destroyed.
Luglon is about 100 km (62 miles) southeast of the tourist area of Arcachon Bay, where two major wildfires devastated more than 50,000 hectares (124,000 acres), spurring the evacuation of as many as 220,000 people in late July.

The area has broiled in heatwaves this summer and temperatures are expected to soar to 36 degrees Celsius (97 Fahrenheit) on Friday afternoon, as France's unprecedented wildfire season continues.

The area burned so far exceeds that of the previous record year of 2022. ⁠The Landes area is swathed in pine forests that become ⁠highly flammable when dry.

French officials are still taking stock of the damage caused by a series of fires, mainly in the southwest of France, including the largest wildfire since 1949 in the department of Gironde.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters and AFP)