George and Amal Clooney evacuate French home amid wildfires

George and Amal Clooney evacuated their vineyard estate in Brignoles, southeastern France, after a wildfire broke out on a Wednesday, burning 130 hectares and forcing 700 residents to flee, according to new reports. The fire, which was contained by 3 a.m. Thursday, allowed some evacuees to return, though four firefighters were injured during the effort. The couple, who purchased the property in 2021 for an estimated 9 million euros, sent a letter to Brignoles mayor Didier Brémond, emphasizing their commitment to the community amid the crisis. “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,” the letter stated.

The fire near Brignoles, which is 90 kilometers from Marseille, was smaller than other blazes across Europe, such as the Gironde fire that damaged 42,000 hectares of pine forests and displaced 220,000 people. Over 224,000 residents in the Gironde region had been evacuated, according to the Associated Press, while nearly 3,000 in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region were also displaced. In Greece, three firefighters died, including two on Crete and one near Gytheio, as blazes threatened villages and islands. Tourists on Crete escaped by boat, with worker Lia Galata describing the chaos: “I didn’t know if I was going to die from the fire… or from drowning in the sea.”

The Clooneys’ evacuation highlights the escalating wildfires, which have been fueled by heatwaves pushing temperatures to 41°C in some areas. European officials have warned of the crisis’s potential to spread, with Maria Zuber, head of the EU’s Emergency Response Co-ordination Centre, stating that “all of Europe” could be at risk if the blazes continue. In the UK, 200 caravans were evacuated at Dunwich Heath, and Germany reported 9,800 heat-related deaths. The Clooneys’ letter to the mayor has been widely shared, with fans and media outlets praising their solidarity with local residents.

George Clooney, who obtained French citizenship in December 2025, has previously spoken about his decision to move to the region, citing its rural lifestyle as a contrast to the “culture of Hollywood.” In a 2025 Esquire interview, he reflected on his own childhood on a farm, noting that while he once resented it, he now values the experience for his twins: “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.” The couple also owns properties in Lake Como, Italy; Kentucky; and England, though their French estate has remained their focal point for family life.

Former US President Donald Trump commented on the Clooneys’ move, calling them “the worst political prognosticators” with “totally mediocre movies.” Meanwhile, local authorities arrested two arsonists linked to the wildfires. The Clooneys’ evacuation comes as over 2,200 firefighters and 20 aircraft have been deployed to contain the Gironde fire, while a nuclear power plant in the Tarn-et-Garonne department faced a shutdown earlier this month due to rising river temperatures. The couple’s letter to the mayor has been widely shared, with fans and media outlets highlighting their solidarity with local residents. “We love Brignoles and our friends who live there,” the couple wrote, a sentiment echoed by their public advocacy for climate resilience and disaster preparedness.