Sawt Falasteen - Thousands sheltered in Bordeaux as France wildfires trigger exodus

Many are anxious about the fate of their homes, while others have had their holidays abruptly cut short.

Nuala Kelly, a 75-year-old Irish tourist, said she had never seen anything like this.

"Never, never, never, never, never, and I've travelled all over the world and been in all sorts of situations," she told AFP at Bordeaux's vast exhibition centre now housing thousands of people displaced by the wildfires.

"It's an experience, you know, I would be happy to do without it, but everybody's been very kind here, very good, so we have to be thankful."

Masks are distributed upon request. Smoke still hangs in the air, although it is easier to breathe than the previous evening, when the acrid smell of fire spread across Bordeaux.

Hundreds of firefighters have over the past few days been battling blazes in the southwest of France famous for its sand dunes, pine trees, and oyster shacks.

Rapidly spreading blazes have forced authorities to evacuate tens of thousands of people from the swanky Cap Ferret peninsula and surrounding villages, in one of the largest evacuation operations ever conducted in France.

Most of the evacuees, coming from the Arcachon Bay area and towns near Bordeaux that are now threatened by the fire, arrived during the night.

Olivier Stewart, 38, had to leave Merignac with his wife and young children after receiving an emergency notification.

"The children are the most stressed. They think the fire is going to burn down the house, but we're coping," he said.

Outside some children play football or badminton as they seek ways to occupy themselves.

- 'Like a volcano' -

Frederic Tavitian, a 70-year-old retiree, who lives about 50 kilometres away, said it took him about four hours to get to the shelter because of the traffic jams.

"At 3 p.m., we were told, 'You have to evacuate.' We saw columns of smoke, like a volcano about to erupt. So we left," said Tavitian, sitting on his camp bed with a guitar in hand.

He was worn out from not being able to sleep due to the "constant noise."

"It's really tough. That's the way it is. We just have to live with it," he said.

Behind him some eat or line up for coffee, while others try to rest on air mattresses or sleeping mats.

Some evacuees have brought their cats and dogs with them, and bags of pet food and cat litter have been made available.

Several buses have been chartered to transport elderly people.

Locals in Bordeaux have come forward to help.

David Duval, 55, said he could accommodate a family.

"I have a spare room available," he said.

"It breaks my heart when I see all these people in distress. We have to think about what each of us can do," said the engineer, who lives nearby.

A first-aid station has been set up, with a doctor on site to provide support.

"I'm identifying people's needs, especially those of the children, and reminding them about the signs of dehydration," said Marie Decroix as she moved among the families, jotting down notes.

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F.Qawasmeh--SF-PST