France wildfire forces 525 to evacuate in Landes

A new wildfire in southwestern France forced the evacuation of more than 500 people on Friday, August 14, 2026, as firefighters struggled to contain the blaze amid a severe heatwave and exceptionally dry conditions. The fire, which began on Thursday, August 13, burned through approximately 1,100 hectares of pine forest in the Landes department, coming within a few hundred meters of the village of Luglon.

Regional official Gilles Clavreul told reporters that the fire's trajectory remained uncertain due to strong, shifting winds. "The situation is unfavourable," he said, noting that the next fifteen hours would be decisive. Authorities evacuated 525 residents from Luglon and a nearby campsite as a precaution, transporting them to a reception center in Sabres. No homes were destroyed, but thick smoke blanketed the village on Friday morning. "We protected the houses. Everything held," a firefighter told a resident.

Approximately 500 firefighters, supported by 40 forest-fire vehicles and six aircraft including water bombers, were deployed to battle the flames. Fire chief Arnaud Fabre reported that the fire was slowing down but expressed concern about potential flare-ups as...