French fire forces evacuation of 10,000 people
Flames and smoke fill the sky above a burning hillside as tourists swim on the beach in Bormes-les-Mimosas, in the Var department
At least 10,000 people have been forced to flee campsites and homes after a new fire broke out along the French Riviera.
Wildfires have already consumed swathes of forest in tourist-packed southeastern France in recent days, as well as on the island of Corsica. The new blaze, in the middle of the holiday season, is raging near Bormes-les-Mimosas, southwest of the popular resort Saint-Tropez on the Mediterranean coast. The fire broke out just before 11pm on Tuesday and burned 800 hectares of forest by Wednesday morning, with 540 firefighters sent to tackle the blaze.
British holidaymakers in southern France have been forced to spend the night on the beach. Pic: Lisa Minot
Among those evacuated were British holidaymakers at the Camp du Domaine campsite in Bormes-les-Mimosas.
All 1,000 camping plots across the site were evacuated, according to Oliver Williams, a deputy head teacher from Redhill, Surrey, who is staying at the resort with his family.
He told Sky News: "My wife woke me up about two o'clock this morning, saying she'd heard the car alarms and people shouting 'allez, allez'.
Smoke rises from the wildfire in Bormes les Mimosas, France
Smoke rises from the wildfire in Bormes les Mimosas They were chucking everything in the back of a car and trying to get out. That was all a bit surreal and it took a moment to really sink in."
Mr Williams' family headed to the campsite's private beach, where many of the 3,000 evacuated, including French, German and Dutch tourists, had gathered. We stayed from about 2am until about 7am and then we were thinking we could probably make our way back to the plot," he said.
"But we were told we weren't allowed to go back because the Canadairs were about to fly over and drop water on to the fire.
A plane works to extinguish a wildfire in Bormes les Mimosas, France
A water bomber plane works to extinguish the wildfire. That's mixed with some chemicals so they keep people well back." He added: "We were all just watching to see what was going to happen with the fire - whether it was going to progress towards us or carry on going over the hill."
Mr Williams praised French firefighters for their "absolutely amazing job" in tackling the multiple blazes in the area. Fellow Briton Lisa Minot, The Sun's travel editor, is also staying at the resort - where the campsite's sprinkler system was being used in an attempt to stop the blaze jumping across from the hills.
Oliver Williams was evacuated from the Camp du Domaine campsite at 2am
Oliver Williams was evacuated from the Camp du Domaine campsite at 2am She said: "Everybody was told to evacuate to the beach and they're still there and they have not allowed us to go back to our caravan. It's utter chaos, there are no provisions or anything else... there's no one telling us what to do."
Her mother Carol Bielfield said holidaymakers were trying to stay composed.
"It was keep calm and carry on, make some tea, serve some biscuits and hope that you get some information," she said.
Cars drive past forest fires in Biguglia, near the town of Bastia, on Corsica island, France
Tourists evacuate the beach as smoke fills the sky above a burning hillside in Bormes-les-Mimosas, in the Var department
Tourists evacuate the beach as smoke fills the sky above a burning hillside in Bormes-les-Mimosas, in the Var department
Tourists evacuate the beach as smoke fills the sky above a burning hillside in Bormes-les-Mimosas, in the Var department
People look at smoke that fills the sky from a forest fire near Seillons, in the Var department
Firefighters try to extinguish a fire burning in Artigues, southeastern France
People on the beach look at a forest fire in La Croix-Valmer, near Saint-Tropez,
A firefighter jumps off the trunk of an uprooted tree following a forest fire in Ramatuelle, southern France
French firefighters stand by the firefighter's truck upon their arrival in Ramatuelle, southern France to extinguish a forest fire
A Canadair firefighting plane drops water to extinguish a forest fire on La Croix-Valmer from Cavalaire-sur-Mer, near Saint-Tropez
People on the beach as a fire burns a forest by the sea in La Croix-Valmer, near Saint-Tropez
Tourists look smoke that rises from trees at a forest fire on La Croix-Valmer from Cavalaire-sur-Mer, near Saint-Tropez
Smoke billows during a forest fire in La Croix-Valmer, near Saint-Tropez
Smoke fills the sky as a Canadair firefighting plane releases water to extinguish a wildfire near Seillons, in the Var department
Smoke fills the sky as flames from a wildfire burn trees near Seillons, in the Var department, France
Smoke fills the sky as flames from a wildfire burn trees near Seillons, in the Var department
The fire devastated landscape in Biguglia, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica
The fire devastated landscape in Biguglia, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica
The fire devastated landscape in Biguglia, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica
Smoke rising from a fire in Biguglia on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica
People stand outside on a balcony as a Canadair aircraft drops water over a fire near Biguglia, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica
Cars drive past forest fires in Biguglia, near the town of Bastia, on Corsica island, France
Tourists evacuate the beach as smoke fills the sky above a burning hillside in Bormes-les-Mimosas, in the Var department
But we've had no information at all. Everyone gave up, started leaving the beach and then the sirens went off and we were told to go back to the beach, but there's not been any information."
Local tourist site Fort de Bregancon, the former official retreat of French presidents, has been shut due to the fire. Amid other blazes burning through the region, people were pictured on the beach at La Croix-Valmer near Saint-Tropez watching as firefighting aircraft dropped water on a raging forest fire.
Officials said that blaze had been contained on Tuesday, with the local mayor describing a "disaster area" that had been left by the flames.
Firefighters battle to contain forest fires in southern France
France fires threaten UK holidaymakers
In Corsica, residents spoke of "apocalyptic" scenes after a blaze engulfed 1,800 hectares of forest, burning several vehicles and threatening homes.
Disaster on the island, situated midway between France and Italy, was averted after the wind died down.
In Carros, north of Nice on the mainland, locals described waking up to a "lunar landscape" after a fire. More than 4,000 firefighters and troops have been deployed in total, along with 19 water bomber planes, since the fires broke out in France on Monday.
Six more of the planes have been ordered by the French government while extra firefighters have been drafted in from the north of the country.
At least 12 firefighters have been injured and 15 police officers affected by smoke inhalation.
France has asked the EU for help as it deals with the fires, with two firefighting planes sent by Italy.
At least 10,000 people have been forced to flee campsites and homes after a new fire broke out along the French Riviera.
Wildfires have already consumed swathes of forest in tourist-packed southeastern France in recent days, as well as on the island of Corsica. The new blaze, in the middle of the holiday season, is raging near Bormes-les-Mimosas, southwest of the popular resort Saint-Tropez on the Mediterranean coast. The fire broke out just before 11pm on Tuesday and burned 800 hectares of forest by Wednesday morning, with 540 firefighters sent to tackle the blaze.
British holidaymakers in southern France have been forced to spend the night on the beach. Pic: Lisa Minot
Among those evacuated were British holidaymakers at the Camp du Domaine campsite in Bormes-les-Mimosas.
All 1,000 camping plots across the site were evacuated, according to Oliver Williams, a deputy head teacher from Redhill, Surrey, who is staying at the resort with his family.
He told Sky News: "My wife woke me up about two o'clock this morning, saying she'd heard the car alarms and people shouting 'allez, allez'.
Smoke rises from the wildfire in Bormes les Mimosas, France
Smoke rises from the wildfire in Bormes les Mimosas They were chucking everything in the back of a car and trying to get out. That was all a bit surreal and it took a moment to really sink in."
Mr Williams' family headed to the campsite's private beach, where many of the 3,000 evacuated, including French, German and Dutch tourists, had gathered. We stayed from about 2am until about 7am and then we were thinking we could probably make our way back to the plot," he said.
"But we were told we weren't allowed to go back because the Canadairs were about to fly over and drop water on to the fire.
A water bomber plane works to extinguish the wildfire. That's mixed with some chemicals so they keep people well back." He added: "We were all just watching to see what was going to happen with the fire - whether it was going to progress towards us or carry on going over the hill."
Mr Williams praised French firefighters for their "absolutely amazing job" in tackling the multiple blazes in the area. Fellow Briton Lisa Minot, The Sun's travel editor, is also staying at the resort - where the campsite's sprinkler system was being used in an attempt to stop the blaze jumping across from the hills.
Oliver Williams was evacuated from the Camp du Domaine campsite at 2am
Oliver Williams was evacuated from the Camp du Domaine campsite at 2am She said: "Everybody was told to evacuate to the beach and they're still there and they have not allowed us to go back to our caravan. It's utter chaos, there are no provisions or anything else... there's no one telling us what to do."
Her mother Carol Bielfield said holidaymakers were trying to stay composed.
"It was keep calm and carry on, make some tea, serve some biscuits and hope that you get some information," she said.
Cars drive past forest fires in Biguglia, near the town of Bastia, on Corsica island, France
Tourists evacuate the beach as smoke fills the sky above a burning hillside in Bormes-les-Mimosas, in the Var department
Tourists evacuate the beach as smoke fills the sky above a burning hillside in Bormes-les-Mimosas, in the Var department
Tourists evacuate the beach as smoke fills the sky above a burning hillside in Bormes-les-Mimosas, in the Var department
People look at smoke that fills the sky from a forest fire near Seillons, in the Var department
Firefighters try to extinguish a fire burning in Artigues, southeastern France
People on the beach look at a forest fire in La Croix-Valmer, near Saint-Tropez,
A firefighter jumps off the trunk of an uprooted tree following a forest fire in Ramatuelle, southern France
French firefighters stand by the firefighter's truck upon their arrival in Ramatuelle, southern France to extinguish a forest fire
A Canadair firefighting plane drops water to extinguish a forest fire on La Croix-Valmer from Cavalaire-sur-Mer, near Saint-Tropez
People on the beach as a fire burns a forest by the sea in La Croix-Valmer, near Saint-Tropez
Tourists look smoke that rises from trees at a forest fire on La Croix-Valmer from Cavalaire-sur-Mer, near Saint-Tropez
Smoke billows during a forest fire in La Croix-Valmer, near Saint-Tropez
Smoke fills the sky as a Canadair firefighting plane releases water to extinguish a wildfire near Seillons, in the Var department
Smoke fills the sky as flames from a wildfire burn trees near Seillons, in the Var department, France
Smoke fills the sky as flames from a wildfire burn trees near Seillons, in the Var department
The fire devastated landscape in Biguglia, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica
The fire devastated landscape in Biguglia, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica
The fire devastated landscape in Biguglia, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica
Smoke rising from a fire in Biguglia on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica
People stand outside on a balcony as a Canadair aircraft drops water over a fire near Biguglia, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica
Cars drive past forest fires in Biguglia, near the town of Bastia, on Corsica island, France
Tourists evacuate the beach as smoke fills the sky above a burning hillside in Bormes-les-Mimosas, in the Var department
But we've had no information at all. Everyone gave up, started leaving the beach and then the sirens went off and we were told to go back to the beach, but there's not been any information."
Local tourist site Fort de Bregancon, the former official retreat of French presidents, has been shut due to the fire. Amid other blazes burning through the region, people were pictured on the beach at La Croix-Valmer near Saint-Tropez watching as firefighting aircraft dropped water on a raging forest fire.
Officials said that blaze had been contained on Tuesday, with the local mayor describing a "disaster area" that had been left by the flames.
Firefighters battle to contain forest fires in southern France
France fires threaten UK holidaymakers
In Corsica, residents spoke of "apocalyptic" scenes after a blaze engulfed 1,800 hectares of forest, burning several vehicles and threatening homes.
Disaster on the island, situated midway between France and Italy, was averted after the wind died down.
In Carros, north of Nice on the mainland, locals described waking up to a "lunar landscape" after a fire. More than 4,000 firefighters and troops have been deployed in total, along with 19 water bomber planes, since the fires broke out in France on Monday.
Six more of the planes have been ordered by the French government while extra firefighters have been drafted in from the north of the country.
At least 12 firefighters have been injured and 15 police officers affected by smoke inhalation.
France has asked the EU for help as it deals with the fires, with two firefighting planes sent by Italy.
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