A month and a half after a massive wildfire in Saumos, Gironde, Nicolas, 42, from Lanton, and Sandra, 39, from Saint-Jean-d’Illac, shared their experience of being evacuated with the news outlet 20 Minutes. They describe a stressful and traumatic time that has left lasting emotional marks, prompting them to consider seeking psychological support. The fire, which burned over 42,000 hectares of forest and forced the evacuation of 220,000 people in Gironde this summer, remains vivid in their memories as a defining moment of fear and uncertainty. Nicolas recalls the exact moment his summer changed on July 24, when his phone network cut out and his son informed him of the evacuation order. Sandra remembers feeling very anxious after returning from work and preparing belongings before the official evacuation notice. As a mother of a five-year-old, she struggled to hide her anxiety from her child, who had internalized the fear of losing their home. Sandra now considers psychological support for her daughter, noting that sleep issues and the summer's events will inevitably be discussed in the future. Nicolas and his wife packed their vehicles in a state of emotional disconnection, taking unnecessary items and leaving behind more important ones. They were stuck in traffic for six hours, giving them time to reflect on what they had left behind. Nicolas recalls forgetting sentimental items belonging to his older son, which caused him significant emotional pain. He also remembers the apocalyptic scene of an orange sky and falling ashes, which haunted their sleepless nights. Both Nicolas and Sandra blame social media and continuous news coverage for spreading alarming and sometimes false information, leading to emotional stress. Sandra recalls the uncertainty of how far the fire would spread, while Nicolas remembers the relief of finding his house still standing upon returning on July 31, despite the air being unbreathable. He later experienced a burglary upon returning from vacation, which he attributes to the absence of people in the town. Nicolas and Sandra express a reluctance to move, regretting that "we are not safe anywhere." Nicolas wants to move past these moments and continue forward, while Sandra describes a difficult return home, marked by strong anxieties about the future. She expresses feeling "eco-terrified," stating she is now too anxious to imagine herself at twenty years old. She fears the consequences of climate change, including intense droughts and risks to harvests, and the idea of relocating to Scandinavian countries has been on her mind.