George Clooney and Amal Clooney have reportedly left their main home in the south of France as severe wildfires continue to spread through the Var department in Provence.
The couple and their nine-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander, are said to have evacuated Domaine du Canadel, their 425-acre wine estate near Brignoles, after emergency officials increased alerts and issued mandatory evacuation notices for nearby areas.
A combination of intense heat and strong, dry winds has left large parts of southern Europe dangerously vulnerable to fire, with vegetation across the region drying out rapidly. The 2026 wildfire season in France has become unprecedented, with roughly 98,000 to 100,000 hectares burned nationwide as of late July, according to French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. France has already experienced more damage from wildfires this summer than all of 2025 combined, despite the wildfire season lasting several more weeks.
Fire crews, backed by specialist aircraft and ground response teams, have been battling several active wildfire zones in an effort to stop the flames advancing through the countryside. A major wildfire in the Var department that erupted on July 21 consumed approximately 4,500 hectares over eight days and was declared contained on July 29, though a new blaze broke out near Brignoles the same day, forcing evacuations of around 650 to 700 residents from nearby neighborhoods.
As responders worked to protect homes and cut containment lines, thick smoke and unpredictable winds led authorities to remove residents and landowners from threatened locations as a safety precaution. The Mediterranean coast, including Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, remains the most fire-prone area, with wildfire season peaking in July and August when Mediterranean heat and drought are most intense.
The Clooneys bought the 18th-century bastide property in 2021 for a reported €9 million ($10.5 million), turning it into the family’s principal base outside Los Angeles and London.
Set among olive trees, vineyards, and wide stretches of pine woodland, Domaine du Canadel has become the family’s main residence in recent years.
George Clooney has previously said he values the slower pace and privacy of life in Europe, explaining in earlier interviews that rural France provides a more stable setting for his children than Hollywood.
That connection to the area deepened further when George and Amal were granted French citizenship, reinforcing their intention to build their future in Provence.
According to PEOPLE, the couple revealed their evacuation in a letter sent to the mayor of Brignoles.
“Dear Didier, At this point we have no idea whether our beautiful home makes it through this terrible moment,” the letter began.
“As we evacuate Brignoles we want to emphasise 2 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,” the letter continued.
“We love Brignoles and our friends who live there.”
The evacuation from the estate underlines how often major wildfires are now disrupting life across southern Europe during the height of summer. This crisis extends beyond France, with more than 300,000 people evacuated from homes and resorts in France and Spain combined as of late July.
Var, known for its wine-producing villages and Mediterranean scenery, is especially exposed to these fires because of its dense pine cover and extended dry spells. Officials in Brignoles have advised both locals and visitors to keep following emergency updates and comply with all safety instructions.
Although firefighters are said to be gaining ground on the main blaze, there is still no confirmation of when evacuated households will be allowed back.
Representatives for the Clooney family have said the family is safe and staying in close contact with local authorities as the situation develops.