France wildfires unite locals and expats in recovery
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Wildfires burned nearly 5,000 hectares in southwestern France’s Pyrénées-Orientales département this summer, forcing over 10,000 people to evacuate and impacting around 180 farms.
In Ille-sur-Têt and Trévillach, residents including German teacher Kaika Engels and her neighbour Christine lost their homes, simple structures built over years, when the fires spread in July. While acknowledging the material loss, Kaika felt frustrated by comments minimizing the emotional impact of losing a home and a way of life.
After the fires jumped a river and road, Kaika evacuated and alerted an elderly neighbour, while Christine was unable to save her animals. Both women lost nearly all their possessions. Following the disaster, editor-in-chief Robyn Doolan of the English-language magazine P-O Life launched fundraising campaigns. A first appeal for an elderly neighbour raised €1,500, and a second for Kaika, Christine, and another neighbour brought in €3,675 from 29 donors. Beyond financial support, an informal volunteer group called Solidarité Incendie.
L'Étincelle du Coeur PO 2026 organized volunteer work days to clear debris from the affected land. Kaika and Christine both plan to leave the area, with Kaika intending to travel Europe by bicycle and Christine considering a van or a new plot of land. They both report experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress. The fundraising campaign continues, and the shared experience has strengthened bonds between French, Dutch, and English residents of the region.
