France allows 84,000 fire evacuees to return as emergency services stay on alert
Around 84,000 evacuated residents in southwestern France have been allowed to return home, though thousands of firefighters remain deployed across fire-damaged regions in Southern Europe.
Firefighting efforts across Southern Europe are entering a recovery phase in some regions, even as emergency teams maintain high alert. In southwestern France, authorities permitted roughly 84,000 evacuated residents to return to their communities following severe blazes that destroyed hundreds of homes. However, more than 2,000 firefighters and 20 aircraft remain deployed in the region to prevent rekindling.
The developments follow widespread evacuations across Southern Europe, including 8,000 people cleared from Agia Galini on Crete, alongside massive displacements in Spain.
Meanwhile in Norway, local authorities in Drammen disclosed that emergency responders encountered operational issues at six water supply points during the initial stages of fighting a major fire in Krokstadelva.
Sources: TV 2 Nyheter.
Sources
Earlier coverage
- Jul 30, 2026, 07:30 PM UTCWildfires trigger evacuations across Greece as Southern European heatwave persists
- Jul 30, 2026, 01:30 PM UTCThousands evacuated on Crete as Southern Europe wildfire crisis spreads
- Jul 30, 2026, 01:30 AM UTCSouthern Europe wildfire destruction mounts as evacuations exceed 300,000
- Jul 29, 2026, 07:30 PM UTCSouthern European wildfires trigger mass evacuations and climate backlash against Norway