More than 10,000 people were forced to leave their accommodation overnight after a fierce wildfire swept through woodland near the coastal resort of Lège-Cap-Ferret in southwestern France.
The fire has already destroyed more than 2,000 hectares of forest, although local officials confirmed that no injuries have been reported so far.
Around 500 firefighters are currently working to contain the flames in the Gironde department, but emergency services warned that gusty winds and dry ground are making operations extremely difficult.
As a precaution, authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of thousands of holidaymakers staying at eight campsites across the popular Atlantic resort area.
More than 1,000 local residents living in homes bordering the forest were also instructed to leave as a protective measure.
Emergency centres have been set up across nine local councils to provide food and shelter, with over 2,500 evacuees taking refuge in communal halls overnight.
The blaze comes amid a series of severe summer wildfires across southern Europe, driven by prolonged heatwaves and intense drought conditions.
Climate scientists point out that rising global temperatures are making heatwaves more frequent and severe, creating ideal conditions for destructive forest fires.
France has suffered repeated heatwaves since late spring, leaving countryside vegetation exceptionally dry and highly flammable.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that emergency teams have responded to more than 12,500 separate wildfires across the country since the start of the year, which have collectively burnt nearly 44,000 hectares of land.
