STORY: Wildfires forced the elderly from their beds at a nursing home in Saint-Aubin-de-Médoc on Saturday (July 25), as tens of thousands fled their homes across southwest France and authorities ordered the evacuation of the entire Cap Ferret peninsula.

Paramedics escorted the elderly out by ambulance. Elsewhere in the commune, people were resigned to their fate.

"We have no choice. We just have to. It's sad. It's true that it really is a disaster," said Didier Baronnet, 73, a retiree.

In Spain, huge blazes merged outside Madrid, forcing authorities to declare a national emergency.

Wildfires have already burned more land across Europe this year than the annual average of the past two decades. The continent — the world's fastest-warming — has endured three heatwaves so far this year.

Scientists say human-driven climate change is making heatwaves, droughts and wildfires more intense.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: SAINT-AUBIN-DE-MÉDOC, FRANCE (JULY 25, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all) (NIGHT SHOTS)

1. AMBULANCE WITH NURSING HOME RESIDENTS DRIVING PAST

2. PARAMEDICS PREPARING STRETCHER

3. PARAMEDICS ESCORTING NURSING HOME RESIDENTS

4. VARIOUS OF PARAMEDICS TRANSFERRING PERSON TO AMBULANCE

5. PARKED AMBULANCES

6. PARAMEDICS PLACING ROLLATOR INTO AMBULANCE

7. PARAMEDIC PUSHING WHEELCHAIR NEXT TO VEHICLE

8. AMBULANCES DRIVING OUT OF NURSING HOME

9. ROAD SIGN / VEHICLES DRIVING PAST

10. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 73-YEAR-OLD RETIREE FROM SAINT-AUBIN-DE-MÉDOC, DIDIER BARONNET, SAYING:

"It's a bit stressful anyway, but... [shrugs shoulders] You could say that, well, we have no choice. We just have to [evacuate]. It's sad. It's true that it really is a disaster."

11. DIRECTIONAL ROAD SIGN / VEHICLES DRIVING PAST

12. VEHICLES WAITING IN LINE

13. DIRECTIONAL ROAD SIGNS / VEHICLES DRIVING PAST

14. DIRECTIONAL ROAD SIGNS

15. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 52-YEAR-OLD SHOPKEEPER AND ELECTED MUNICIPAL COUNCILLOR AT THE TOWN HALL OF SAINT-AUBIN-DE-MÉDOC, SOPHIE ARIBAUD, SAYING:

“In a somewhat anxious situation because it's the first time I've experienced this kind of situation. At 9:16 p.m., we received a first text message from our mayor, Christophe Duprat, informing us that the town was going to be evacuated and he asked us to wait for the alert signal before leaving the commune, and the alert signal came about 45 minutes to an hour ago.”

16. PET DOG

17. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 52-YEAR-OLD SHOPKEEPER AND ELECTED MUNICIPAL COUNCILLOR AT THE TOWN HALL OF SAINT-AUBIN-DE-MÉDOC, SOPHIE ARIBAUD, SAYING:

"It's a lack of resources. If the fire hasn't been put out, it's because we're short of water-bombing aircraft. We lost two men in the commune of Saint-Médard-en-Jalles, two firefighters, two days ago. These are situations that are unacceptable to me, unacceptable."

18. VEHICLES WAITING IN LINE

19. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 19-YEAR-OLD ENVIRONMENTAL STUDENT FROM SAINT-AUBIN-DE-MÉDOC, VIVIEN MOLINA, SAYING:

"We are all very anxious about the situation. We just left the house in a hurry. We are with our parents in two cars and we are heading up towards L'Espar because apparently there are too many people on the roads over there and we are all very anxious."

20. VARIOUS OF VEHICLES LEAVING SAINT-AUBIN-DE-MÉDOC