George and Amal Clooney evacuate French home amid wildfires

George and Amal Clooney have evacuated their residence in the south of France due to ongoing wildfires in the region. The actor, his human rights lawyer wife, and their two children departed their Brignoles property earlier this week.

In a letter to Brignoles mayor Didier Brémond, Clooney expressed, "We have no idea whether our beautiful home makes it through this terrible moment." He also affirmed his and his wife's commitment to assist in the village's post-fire restoration, "whatever happens." The family acquired their Brignoles home in 2021 and were granted French citizenship in December 2025.

The letter, shared with the BBC, stated: "Dear Didier, At this point we have no idea whether our beautiful home makes it through this terrible moment and as we evacuate Brignoles we want to emphasise two things, first we hope you and the people of our city are safe and second that Amal and I are committed to making sure that whatever happens to our village, we are part of this community and we'll be part of making it whole. We love Brignoles and our friends who live there."

Wildfires have ravaged parts of France. On Wednesday at 20:00 local time (18:00 GMT), the Préfet du Var announced an evacuation of certain neighborhoods after a fire ignited near Brignoles. By 13:00 on Thursday, those evacuated were permitted to return, though local officials cautioned, "The weather, with high temperatures and the rise of the wind this afternoon, remains unfavourable and vigilance is advised."

In 2025, Clooney revealed that the family's decision to relocate to France was influenced by his concerns about raising their twins, Ella and Alexander, in Los Angeles. He told Esquire magazine: "I don't want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don't want them being compared to somebody else's famous kids." He added, "We live on a farm in France. A good portion of my life growing up was on a farm, and as a kid, I hated the whole idea of it. But now, for them, it's like – they're not on their iPads, you know? They have dinner with grown-ups and have to take their dishes in. They have a much better life."

European nations are grappling with a series of wildfires, as high temperatures have rendered parts of the continent highly susceptible to blazes. French fires in pine forests have necessitated the evacuation of at least 220,000 residents and tourists. A fire in the Gironde region, the largest in France since 1949, has consumed 42,000 hectares (103,784 acres). However, there is optimism as its progression has been halted for the third consecutive day, with rain forecast for Thursday.

Greece and Spain are also contending with outbreaks. In Crete, thousands were evacuated as strong winds fueled and spread a fire. On Wednesday, two firefighters perished on the island after becoming trapped near Krya Vrysi, and a third died near the Peloponnese port town of Gytheio.