ocals evacuated from their homes and tourists driven out of their campsites in southwestern France expressed stress and uncertainty on Thursday (July 23) as a wildfire continued to scorch land in the Gironde department.

More than 10,000 people were evacuated overnight in southwestern France as a rapidly spreading wildfire burned through at least 2,400 hectares of land west of the city of Bordeaux, officials said on Thursday.

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

Tourist Elizabeth Carron was having dinner with her family at their campsite on Wednesday (July 22) night when they caught the first glimpse of the blaze.

“The sky turned red, black and red. Then little by little, we could smell it. There were ashes on the car, on the caravan, on my grandchildren's little tent. Then two hours later, they advised us to leave because the fire risked spreading everywhere,” she said.

Dozens of evacuees were housed overnight in an evacuation centre in the town hall of Lege-Cap-Ferret.

Local resident Philippe Gabarrou recounted the “stress,” especially seeing the wildfire’s flames at night, and said evacuees do not know when they can come back home.

But evacuee Jeanine Clarke said her family’s safety is the most important thing.

"We don't know what we'll return to,” she said. “But as long as we're safe and sound… as long as we're with our family, houses are just possessions."

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

REFILE: Stress and uncertainty among evacuees as wildfire rages in France's Gironde

VIDEO SHOWS: EVACUATED RESIDENTS IN LEGE-CAP-FERRET AT EVACUATION CENTRE / VIEW OF SMOKE DURING WILDFIRE / SOUNDBITES OF EVACUEES

PLEASE NOTE: RESENDING EDIT TO ADD SHOTS 5-8

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: LEGE-CAP-FERRET, FRANCE (JULY 23, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. PEOPLE STANDING, LOOKING AT VIEW OF SMOKE DURING WILDFIRE

2. SMOKE ABOVE TREES

3. PEOPLE STANDING, SMOKE IN BACKGROUND

4. SMOKE BEHIND CROSS

5. TOURIST EVACUATED FROM CAMPSITE, ELIZABETH CARRON, STANDING AT DOOR OF CARAVAN

6. CARRON WALKING NEAR CARAVAN

7. CARRON ENTERING CARAVAN

8. (SOUNDBITE) (French) TOURIST EVACUATED FROM CAMPSITE, ELIZABETH CARRON, SAYING:

"Listen, we were having dinner peacefully, then we saw flames, the sky turned red, black and red. Then little by little, we could smell it. There were ashes on the car, on the caravan, on my grandchildren's little tent. Then two hours later, they advised us to leave because the fire risked spreading everywhere."

9. LOCAL RESIDENT, PHILIPPE GABARROU, SITTING DOWN

10. GABARROU AND OTHER EVACUEES SEATED, SMOKE IN DISTANCE

11. (SOUNDBITE) (French) LOCAL RESIDENT, PHILIPPE GABARROU, 74, SAYING:

"We're waiting, it's stressful, we were evacuated last night. We saw the firefighters, they were very nice, they're really doing everything to reassure people. But we don't know when we'll be able to come home, because as you can see, it's burning behind us, and we don't know if we can come back to our homes tonight, tomorrow or Saturday. We don't know."

12. SMOKE OVER TREES

13. (SOUNDBITE) (French) LOCAL RESIDENT, PHILIPPE GABARROU, 74, SAYING:

"I have some friends with me here, and the fire was just behind their house. So it's stressful. Last night was crazy, we were evacuated, and it's more stressful at night because it's all red. When you pass by the edge of the forest, when you can see well what's happening, you can see the row of red fire, and that's really shocking. That's when you ask yourself questions."

14. PEOPLE INSIDE EVACUATION CENTRE

15. VARIOUS OF LOCAL RESIDENT, JEANINE CLARKE, EATING INSIDE CENTRE

16. (SOUNDBITE) (French) LOCAL RESIDENT, JEANINE CLARKE, 46, SAYING:

"We slept here with the dog, the kids, everyone. It's true that we've been seeing that there is smoke everywhere and the fire is threatening. We haven't had news, we can't go back home."

17. RESCUERS STANDING NEAR FOOD SUPPLIES

18. (SOUNDBITE) (French) LOCAL RESIDENT, JEANINE CLARKE, 46, SAYING:

"We don't know what we'll return to. We moved here two and a half years ago because it's a lovely place, and we don't know what we'll return to. But as long as we're safe and sound, and we know the firefighters are doing their best, as long as we're with our family, houses are just possessions."

19. CLARKE SEATED AT TABLE

20. PEOPLE INSIDE CENTRE