French authorities evacuated 525 people from the village of Luglon in southwestern France after a fast-moving wildfire swept through pine forests in the Landes region, as extreme heat and dry conditions continue to fuel fires across the country.
The fire broke out on Thursday, August 13, and had burned around 1,100 hectares — about 2,700 acres — by Friday morning. Officials said the flames advanced to within roughly two kilometres of the centre of Luglon, prompting police to move residents to safety and close road links north and south of the village.
Around 500 firefighters were deployed to battle the blaze, supported by six firefighting aircraft. Authorities said strong and shifting winds complicated efforts to contain the flames, while overnight humidity helped slow the fire temporarily.
No homes had been reported destroyed by Friday morning. Evacuated residents, along with people from a nearby campsite, were taken to a reception centre in Sabres as emergency crews continued operations around Luglon.
The latest blaze comes during an exceptionally severe wildfire season in France. The Landes region is covered extensively by pine forests that become particularly vulnerable to fire during prolonged periods of heat and drought. Temperatures in the area were forecast to reach around 36°C on Friday.
Southwestern France has already experienced destructive fires this summer. Major wildfires around the Arcachon Bay area in late July burned more than 50,000 hectares and forced as many as 220,000 people to evacuate, according to Reuters.
The renewed emergency in Landes highlights the continuing pressure on French firefighting services as authorities confront dry vegetation, high temperatures and rapidly changing winds capable of turning relatively localized fires into major emergencies within hours.
