New Wildfire Forces Evacuation of 525 in Southwest France

French authorities evacuated 525 residents from the village of Luglon on Friday as a fresh wildfire tore through pine forests in the southwestern Landes region, an area already scarred by major blazes this summer.

The fire, which ignited on Thursday, has consumed roughly 1,100 hectares and crept to within two kilometres of the village centre, according to regional official Gilles Clavreul. He described the situation as unfavourable, with the fire still raging despite the efforts of 500 firefighters and six aircraft deployed to contain it.

Roads leading north and south of Luglon have been closed. Clavreul did not speculate on the fire's possible origin.

Luglon sits about 100 kilometres southeast of Arcachon Bay, a tourist hub where two large wildfires in late July destroyed more than 50,000 hectares and forced up to 220,000 people to flee.

Separately, French media reported the arrest of a 15-year-old in connection with a July fire near Bordeaux airport that killed two firefighters. The teenager, now under judicial investigation, allegedly discarded a cigarette butt that sparked the blaze. The Bordeaux prosecutor's office has not commented.

Nationwide, the interior ministry said 474 people have been arrested on suspicion of causing fires, whether intentionally or accidentally. Of those, 183 are minors, and roughly 70 percent are suspected of arson.

Southwestern France has endured repeated heatwaves this summer, with temperatures expected to hit 36 degrees Celsius on Friday afternoon. The total area burned this year has already surpassed the previous record set in 2022.