PARIS: Hollywood actor George Clooney and his wife, prominent human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, have evacuated their home in southeastern France after a fast-moving wildfire broke out near their estate, local authorities confirmed on Thursday.
The couple left their property near the town of Brignoles in the Var region as a precaution, even though officials said no mandatory evacuation order had been issued for their residence.
France has been grappling with some of its worst wildfires in decades, with prolonged heat and dry conditions fuelling blazes across several regions.
George and Amal Clooney Evacuate French Home as Wildfire Threatens Brignoles https://t.co/uEewVJjJkp
— Variety (@Variety) July 30, 2026
The largest fire has scorched around 42,000 hectares (103,000 acres) in the country’s southwest—an area larger than the US city of Detroit.
George Clooney owns sprawling estate near Brignoles
The Clooneys, who have nine-year-old twins, own the Domaine du Canadel, a sprawling estate near Brignoles where a wildfire erupted on Wednesday evening.
“At this point we have no idea whether our beautiful home makes it through this terrible moment,” the couple said in a letter to the mayor of Brignoles, according to People magazine.
They also expressed concern for local residents, saying they hoped all of their neighbours remained safe.
“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,” the letter added.
🔥 Dans le Var, l’incendie de Brignoles a été fixé au cours de la nuit
🌳 Les flammes ont parcouru 130 hectares de végétation
🚒 Jusqu’à 270 sapeurs-pompiers ont été mobilisés pour lutter contre cet incendie
✈️🚁 Au plus fort des opérations, 7 hélicoptères bombardiers d’eau, 3… pic.twitter.com/bh81rHLra5
— Association Prévention & Signalement Feux De Forêt (@asso_psfdf) July 30, 2026
Authorities confirmed the authenticity of the letter, while Brignoles Mayor Didier Brémond said the couple chose to leave voluntarily as a safety measure rather than under official orders.
George Clooneys’ estate spans around 170 hectares (420 acres) and features an 18th-century manor house, vineyards, a swimming pool and a private pond.
Wildfire near Brignoles burnt approximately 130 hectares
The wildfire near Brignoles has burned approximately 130 hectares (321 acres) and prompted the evacuation of more than 600 residents, according to firefighters and local officials. Most evacuees were allowed to return to their homes on Thursday after conditions improved.
Read Also: Spain, France Battle Deadly Wildfires as Intense Heat Grips Southern Europe
Firefighting efforts continued on Thursday, with around 270 firefighters supported by four water-bombing helicopters working to contain the blaze. Four firefighters were reported injured during the operation, though their conditions were not immediately disclosed.
Authorities have urged residents across fire-prone regions to remain vigilant as high temperatures and dry weather continue to increase the risk of new wildfires.
France’s weather service has warned that western, south-western and parts of south-eastern France will continue to face a very high wildfire risk for the remainder of the week.
According to climate experts, Europe remains the world’s fastest-warming continent, with rising global temperatures making prolonged heatwaves and destructive wildfires increasingly frequent and severe.
