Fast-moving wildfires in southern France have forced George and Amal Clooney to evacuate their home as flames continue to threaten communities across the region.
The 65-year-old Oscar-winning actor and his wife, 48-year-old human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, have a residence in Brignoles, a town in France’s Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. The area is among those under pressure as wildfires spread across parts of France, Greece, Italy and Spain.
Clooney disclosed that he, Amal and their nine-year-old twins, Alexander and Ella, had left the property in a letter sent to Brignoles mayor Didier Brémond, his representative confirmed to People on Wednesday.
In the brief but emotional message, the actor reportedly pledged to stand by the French town, which has a population of just under 18,000, no matter how severely the approaching fires affect the community.
The Daily Mail has contacted George and Amal Clooney for comment but has not yet received a response.
‘Dear Didier, At this point we have no idea whether our beautiful home makes it through this terrible moment,’ Clooney began.
George Clooney, 65, said Wednesday that he and Amal Clooney, 48, have had to leave their home in France as wildfires endanger the south of the country; the couple are pictured together in the South of France in December
In a letter to Brignoles mayor Didier Brémond, Clooney said his family was evacuating while promising to help the town recover from the fires, his representative confirmed to People; the wildfires threatening Brignoles are shown from above in photos shared on Facebook by Brémond
The Clooneys moved to an estate near Brignoles, which is home to just under 18,000 people, in 2021; the town, which is located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, is pictured that year
‘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,’ he wrote. ‘We love Brignoles and our friends who live there.’
On Wednesday, Brémond shared a Facebook post with aerial photos snapped above Brignoles that showed the fires threatening the town.
‘The fire is less dynamic and is progressing slowly, especially thanks to the wind that has fallen,’ he wrote, via a translation.
The mayor added that evacuation orders remained in place for affected neighborhoods
The Clooneys announced their evacuation on the same day that the EU’s emergency response chief warned that wildfires could potentially engulf ‘all of Europe’ within days.
Greece, Italy and Central Europe are now expected to face the highest wildfire risk in the coming weeks, raising fears of fresh disasters even as firefighters continue battling major blazes across southern Europe.
Maria Zuber, head of the EU’s Emergency Response Co-ordination Centre, said the next few days would be ‘very difficult’ and warned the wildfire threat was shifting eastward after devastating parts of France and the Iberian Peninsula.
‘The next risk, it’s already moving to Greece and also Central Europe,’ Zuber told reporters. ‘Greece for the moment was spared, and now we see that it will go to Greece.
‘Dear Didier, At this point we have no idea whether our beautiful home makes it through this terrible moment,’ Clooney began; pictured in London in October
‘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,’ Clooney continued. ‘We love Brignoles and our friends who live there’
On Wednesday, Brémond shared a Facebook post with aerial photos snapped above Brignoles that showed the fires threatening the town. ‘The fire is less dynamic and is progressing slowly, especially thanks to the wind that has fallen,’ he wrote, via a translation; the town is seen in 2021
‘Italy will face risk at the beginning of August, and we will need to see what will happen with the Iberian Peninsula, because if [it is] there as well, we will have all Europe on fire,’ she added.
The forecast reflects weather conditions that help fires ignite and spread rapidly, such as high temperatures, dry air, wind and a lack of rain.
Europe suffered its worst wildfire season on record last year, with more than two million acres of land burned. Zuber said Europe’s fire situation this year has so far been similar.
‘We have the potential that this is another record,’ she said.
The Associated Press reported on Wednesday that the wildfires in southern France have now swelled to four times the size of Paris.
More than 2,200 firefighters are battling the French fires, with 20 aircraft providing support to tamp down the flames.
Amid efforts to fight the international blazes, three firefighters were killed in Greece.
According to the CBC, more than 330,000 people have been forced to evacuate across France and Spain as of Tuesday.
The Clooneys announced their evacuation on the same day that the EU’s emergency response chief warned that wildfires could potentially engulf ‘all of Europe’ within days; firefighters battle the blaze near Mirabel-et-Blacons in southeastern France on Tuesday
More than 2,200 firefighters are battling the French fires, with 20 aircraft providing support to tamp down the flames; a plane dropping fire retardant is pictured on Wednesday near Gironde
George and Amal Clooney gain French citizenship for themselves and their children in 2025; pictured in August of that year in Venice
George and Amal Clooney began eyeing Brignoles as a possible spot to settle down back in 2021, and they purchased their estate for around $9 million later that year.
The American screen star and the British–Lebanese lawyer went on to gain French citizenship for themselves and their children in 2025, even though Clooney had admitted that he was still ‘bad’ at speaking French.
The couple’s home in Brignoles is just one of their multiple European estates.
More than 20 years ago, Clooney purchased a mansion on Italy’s Lake Como, and he and Amal also have a manor in Berkshire in the United Kingdom.
The birth of their children in June 2017 was announced by Clooney on French TV, and he has frequently stated that he admires the country’s privacy laws.
He told French radio in December 2024: ‘I love the French culture, your language, even if I’m still bad at it after 400 days of courses.
‘Here, they don’t take photos of kids. There aren’t any paparazzi hidden at the school gates. That’s number one for us.’
The couple downgraded their 25-bedroom Italian house with a tennis court on Lake Como to a ‘holiday home’ after purchasing the wine estate, Domaine du Canadel, near the village of Brignoles, in the South of France.
Back in 2021, the couple, who wed in 2014, purchased a home in the South of France, before splashing out £6.7 million on an even bigger property near Cannes last year
The birth of his children in June 2017 was announced by George on French TV, and he has frequency stated that he admires the country’s privacy laws (Brignoles village pictured)
It comes with 425 acres, including an olive grove, vineyard, tennis court and boules pitch. And it seems the peace and privacy that comes with all that space has made it their favorite place in the world.
Clooney is friendly with the local mayor, Didier Brémond, and last year recorded a New Year message for the people of Brignoles which began: ‘Bonjour, Didier!’
It continued: ‘First of all, I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year. I hope each of you had a wonderful holiday season. We want to thank all of you, because we love spending time in the Var and in Brignoles. And we are very grateful for your hospitality and for the friendship that Didier shows us.’
The couple’s vast property empire also includes homes in Kentucky and New York City.
