As unprecedented wildfires tear through France’s southwest, a senior minister has delivered a clear message to would-be visitors: don’t abandon your holiday plans—just stay alert.
Éléonore Caroit, the minister for international partnerships, said France is enduring an “exceptionally intense” fire season, but urged tourists to continue travelling provided they keep themselves well-informed about local conditions.
Massive forest fires have forced the evacuation of 200,000 people in south-western France and central Spain, including 141,000 in the Gironde and Landes departments in France.
Ms Caroit said: “It’s more than an incident, it really is a tragedy, nearly 50,000 hectares have been burned this year. It’s significantly worse than last year and even 2022, which was the worst year we had had.
Horses bolt from encroaching wildfire in Biscarrosse
In an interview on BBC Radio, she stressed that the danger is concentrated in specific zones while much of the country remains unaffected, noting that she was in Paris where “nothing is happening” and saying “most other regions are OK.” She appealed directly to travellers: “do please come to France and do not cancel your travel plans.”
“But wherever you are, please do be advised as to what might be happening.”
Ms Caroit said the French army had been deployed to assist as firefighters battle 32 separate blazes, and argued that France’s capacity to respond has been strengthened through its European Union membership.
She said: “Being part of the European Union today makes every possible sense. We have activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism which is an extraordinary mechanism; solidarity is essential in the EU.
A view of a burned house and vehicle, in Lanton, in the Lege-Cap-Ferret region, southwestern France
“Right now, we have had the confirmation that two water bombing carriers will come from Croatia, two water tractors from Portugal, two Black Hawk helicopters from Czech Republic and Slovakia.
“They’re helping us now as the situation is terrible; we’ve helped them in the past. It explains what it is to be in the EU.”
She also called on world leaders to treat the unfolding disaster as a stark warning about climate change. The fires have killed two firefighters, injured 42 more and are confirmed to have destroyed around 100 homes so far.
Read more:
Tens of thousands evacuated as French, Spanish wildfires rage
Ms Caroit said: “[This is] something we’re seeing in many parts of the world. Remember the wildfires in California, Chile. The climate is changing, we’re having a terrible impact on it.
“While leaders in the world continue to say climate change doesn’t matter, we’re seeing the concrete effects everywhere. We have to take it seriously.
“[France has] invested millions but we’re seeing it’s not enough.”
