More than 10,000 evacuated in France as wildfire spreads

More than 10,000 people were evacuated in southwestern France a rapidly spreading wildfire scorched through 2,000 hectares of land west of the city of Bordeaux, officials said on Thursday.

Wildfires have burnt more land Europe ?already this year than the annual average in the ?past two decades, data shows, as the world’s fastest-warming continent has endured three stifling, virtually back-to-back heatwaves so this year.

Five hundred firefighters are battling to control the blaze, the prefecture said, adding that the wildfire was very rough, but that one has been injured so far.

The wildfire is located near the Arcachon area, a tourist hotspot, and many of those evacuated are tourists staying in camping sites.

Sophie Brocas, the prefect of the surrounding Gironde region, said authorities later evacuated 8,800 people from the village of Claouey, including residents staying at several campsites, as a precautionary measure.

Several municipalities have opened reception and respite centres for evacuees, with more than 2,500 people taking shelter there, the local government said.