George and Amal Clooney were forced to flee their hilltop estate in southern France this week as a wildfire swept through the Var, burning roughly 130 hectares and prompting the evacuation of about 600 residents.

The fire, which broke out near the town of Brignoles, injured four firefighters before being brought under control. Some 270 firefighters, 70 vehicles and aerial firefighting aircraft battled the blaze, according to Variety.

The Clooneys' property, a hilltop estate called Domaine du Canadel, sits in the rolling wine country of the Var. George Clooney settled in Brignoles in May 2021, after an earlier attempt to buy the property was nearly derailed when another buyer made a claim on it. He has since become a familiar face in the commune — a surprise guest at the November 2024 inauguration of the town's Cinéma Liberté, and a video message guest at Mayor Didier Brémond's New Year wishes ceremony.

The couple became French citizens in late December 2025. Brémond told Le Figaro that he has dinner with the Clooneys and considers them friends, not "celebrities," as Variety and Le Figaro reported.

Upon evacuating, the Clooneys sent a letter to Brémond. "We do not know whether our house will survive," they wrote, pledging to help rebuild the community. The letter was first reported by Le Figaro on July 30, 2026, and picked up by French outlets including BFMTV and 20 Minutes.

The Domaine du Canadel is not just a residence. The estate produces Coteaux varois rosé and white wine, which was being lined up for commercial sale, according to Var-Matin. The fire's impact on the vineyard has not been specified.

Page Six first reported the evacuation on July 29, with People and Reuters subsequently confirming the story. The French press — Le Figaro, BFMTV, 20 Minutes and RTL Belgium — carried the letter to Brémond on July 30.

The Var, a department stretching from the Mediterranean coast into the forested hills of Provence, is no stranger to summer wildfires. The firefighting deployment — aircraft included — reflects the scale the region brings to bear each season. Four firefighters were injured tackling the blaze; the condition of the Clooneys' estate remains unknown.

For a couple who have spent five years putting down roots — buying the property, launching a wine label, turning up at the local cinema's opening night, and taking French citizenship — the letter to Brémond reads less like a celebrity statement than a note from a neighbour.