🔴 Live: Southwestern France wildfire forces 44,000 to evacuate, destroys 12,500 hectares of forest

Live Issued on: 24/07/2026 - 09:35Modified: 24/07/2026 - 16:28 Plumes of smoke from wildfires at the seaside resort of Lacanau-Ocean, in southwestern France, on July 24, 2026. © Jan Athmann, dpa via Reuters At least 44,000 were evacuated from southwestern France over the past two days as wildfires continued to sweep through the region and destroyed 12,500 hectares of forest, the local prefect said Friday. Spain’s government declared a national emergency over wildfires there as hundreds of firefighters backed by water-bombing planes battled the blazes fanned by scorching temperatures and strong winds. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments. (FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)