Several fires broke out in the coastal dunes of Pas-de-Calais, France, on Wednesday afternoon. The outbreaks occurred in the communes of Neufchâtel-Hardelot and Dannes, near a forested area.
Firefighters mobilized 230 personnel to combat the blazes. By Wednesday evening, the prefecture estimated that 180 hectares had been burned.
The fires near Camiers forced the evacuation of a nearby campsite. Firefighters told AFP that between 1,000 and 2,000 people were evacuated from the site. However, other reports indicate approximately 1,200 people had to take shelter at the Cristal d'Opale campsite.
Estimated burned area in Pas-de-Calais
The campsite in Camiers, which lists 371 pitches on its website, has not been confirmed to have issued a public evacuation alert on its Facebook page shortly after 4:00 PM due to the nearby fire.
Water scarcity and environmental conditions
The fires occur amid extreme environmental conditions. Météo-France and the French Biodiversity Agency (OFB) stated that the condition of small watercourses is the most critical ever recorded at this time of year.
On Tuesday, drinking water restrictions affected the residences of 62 million people, representing 94% of the metropolitan population, according to AFP calculations.
