Tourists stranded on ‘French Hamptons’ forced to flee on boats as wildfires ravage Europe and Spain declares emergency

THOUSANDS of tourists trapped in the flashy “French Hamptons” were forced to flee on boats after it was consumed by a raging inferno. Europe is battling one of its deadliest wildfire seasons in decades, prompting Spain to declare a state of emergency. Tourists have been forced to flee a popular upmarket area of France Credit: AFP Fire crews have flooded the region as they battle the blaze that has scored nearly 10,000 hectares Credit: Reuters The growing crisis has led President Emmanuel Macron to appeal to the EU for help Credit: AFP Spain has meanwhile declared a state of emergency after one of its worst seasons in decades Credit: AP Sweltering temperatures and strong winds have led to the rapid spread of fires across the continent’s south. A particularly nasty blaze has forced the total evacuation of the Lège-Cap-Ferret area in the southwest of France. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The upmarket holiday favourite, which is often likened to the Hamptons area of Long Island, has been burning since Wednesday. It has led French president Emmanuel Macron to plead for help from the European Union. Read more about the wildfires Residents spend the night at a sports centre after being evacuated from their homes in Spain Credit: AP Emergency aircraft dropping fire retardant as smoke from a wildfire emanates from burning trees in France Credit: AFP Taking to X, he wrote: “France has requested the activation of the European Union’s civil protection mechanism. “We will soon be able to count on reinforcements from two Croatian Canadair aircraft, two Portuguese Air Tractor planes, as well as two heavy Black Hawk helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.” Evacuees in the Lège-Cap-Ferret commune were told they could leave from piers in four villages on Friday morning. Remaining residents were told they must either leave on boats or via the only road linking the area to the mainland. Most read in The Sun Fire crews battling ‘the largest wildfire of the year’ near Madrid Credit: AFP Entire regions have been devastated by the blazes this summer Credit: AFP Terrified tourists could be seen boarding boats this morning as they tried to escape the fire. The blaze has already consumed more than 8,700 hectares and is still raging. Resident Patrick Martineau, 69, said: “The gendarmes came and knocked on every door, the fire was about 500 metres away – we grabbed some things and left.” Shocking footage also showed several cars racing to the mainland to get away from the approaching inferno. Massive wildfires have also continued to engulf areas around Madrid, forcing more than 10,000 people to flee their homes. Wildfires in Spain have scorched more than 100,000 hectares – roughly the size of Berlin or Hong Kong – so far this year. Emergency personnel and ground units have flooded the affected area, as well as several Military Emergency Unit (UME) contingents. Madrid’s regional government described the situation as being of “extreme gravity”. Spain has been gripped by a spate of wildfires this summer, including one of its deadliest in recent memory, where 13 people were killed in the southern province of Almeria. Seven Brits – including a 93-year-old woman – died in the blaze that consumed 7,000 hectares of land. A succession of three heatwaves across Europe has intensified drought and left vegetation tinder-dry, helping wildfires burn more land than the yearly average over the past two decades. This has been paired with there being abundant vegetation growth following unusually heavy spring rainfall. Now authorities must brace for another rise in temperatures and more extreme heat. Temperatures are expected to soar to as high as 47C in the Murcia region of Spain in what the country’s newspapers have dubbed “the mother of all heatwaves”. An urgent warning has also been issued for holidaying Brits jetting off to Greece this summer as highs of 43C are set to hit the country. The Mediterranean nation will face its hottest days of the year so far – and visitors from the UK have been urged to travel with caution. Doctors have urged people to drink plenty of water, avoid direct sunlight, and wear loose clothing while also avoiding booze if possible. As a precautionary measure, several Greek cities have opened air-conditioned halls and public spaces for locals and holidaymakers to cool off. Comment now