France orders boat evacuations as Southern Europe battles wildfires

Emergency crews in France and Spain continue to battle spreading wildfires, forcing new evacuations across affected coastal and inland zones. In southwestern France, emergency services evacuated hundreds of people from campsites and holiday villages along the Cap Ferret peninsula by boat, transporting them to safety across the Arcachon basin. To facilitate maritime rescue operations, local authorities declared a temporary navigation ban throughout the bay.

The operations follow France's request for European Union civil protection assistance after uncontrollable blazes prompted widespread evacuations in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Simultaneously, Spanish authorities maintain a national state of emergency across the capital region of Madrid and the neighboring province of Ávila, delegating operational control to a military crisis unit as firefighters attempt to contain the blazes.

Sources: Der Standard, ORF, Tagesschau.