WILDFIRES forced mass evacuations across France, Croatia and Germany on Friday, as firefighters battled rapidly spreading flames threatening homes and communities amid extreme heat and worsening dry conditions.
Reuters reported on Friday that, in France, authorities evacuated 525 villagers after a wildfire erupted in the pine forests of the southwestern Landes region, close to areas already ravaged by major blazes earlier this summer.
The fire, which broke out on Thursday, had burned about 1,100 hectares (2,700 acres) and spread to within 2km (1.2 miles) of the centre of Luglon, regional official Gilles Clavreul told reporters.
“The situation is unfavourable,” he said, adding that about 500 firefighters were battling the flames with support from six aircraft.
Police evacuated all 525 residents from the village, while road links to the north and south were closed.
Luglon lies about 100km (62 miles) southeast of the tourist area around Arcachon Bay, where two major wildfires destroyed more than 50,000 hectares (124,000 acres) and forced as many as 220,000 people to evacuate in late July.
The region has endured intense heatwaves this summer, with temperatures expected to reach 36C (97F) on Friday afternoon.
The area burned by wildfires in France this year has already surpassed the previous record set in 2022. The Landes region's extensive pine forests are particularly vulnerable to fire when dry.
In Croatia, strong winds drove a wildfire towards the tourist town of Omis on Friday, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate as flames threatened homes and vehicles.
The blaze engulfed settlements and surrounding trees, turning the night sky red above Omis, a scenic town on Croatia's Dalmatian coast surrounded by wooded and rocky hills.
About 19 people were treated by ambulance services, N1 reported. Two people with serious injuries were transferred to a hospital in Split, about 25km (15.5 miles) north of Omis, regional governor Blazenko Boban said.
“We have had an extremely difficult night, we have a complicated situation in the area from Lokva Rogoznica to Omis,” Chief Fire Commander Slavko Tucakovic told local media.
A total of 157 firefighters and 44 fire vehicles battled the blaze overnight, with reinforcements deployed from several Croatian counties.
Part of a major coastal highway was closed, while the town opened its sports hall as an emergency shelter, accommodating about 1,000 people overnight.
A navy boat was also deployed to assist with evacuations by sea, local media reported.
In Germany, authorities ordered about 1,800 residents to evacuate their homes in the early hours of Friday after a wildfire in the western region spread towards a village near the Belgian border.
Residents of Gey were told to leave immediately and proceed to an assistance centre at a primary school in nearby Strass, according to municipal authorities.
They were advised to take only essential belongings, identification documents and necessary medication.
Authorities said on Thursday that a major emergency response had been launched after a wildfire affected about 25 hectares (62 acres) of nearby woodland.
Firefighters and emergency services worked to contain the flames, while the B399 road through the area was closed.
Large parts of Germany are also experiencing dry conditions and elevated forest fire risks, according to weather officials.
Hot weather and drought, which scientists link to climate change, have created conditions conducive to wildfires across Europe this summer, particularly in France, Spain and Greece, while the Balkans has also endured several heatwaves.
The wider European continent, the world's fastest-warming, has experienced an unusually active wildfire season after a wet winter encouraged vegetation growth that subsequently dried out during successive heatwaves. - August 14, 2026
