Wildfires force 300,000 evacuations in France and Spain as heat rises
More than 300,000 people have been displaced by wildfires in southwestern France and central Spain, with temperatures expected to climb to record levels later this week.
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez said efforts to contain the fires near Madrid were progressing "very positively" but warned that "there are still some difficult hours ahead" before the most dangerous areas are stabilized. He visited the Avila region, noting that authorities were consolidating zones where the blaze appeared contained.
Lt. Col. Alfonso Arribas, who leads the Military Emergency Unit overseeing the response, added that conditions might allow work on specific uncontrolled sections, though the entire perimeter remained at risk.
The burned area in Spain grew from 130,000 to 150,000 hectares within 24 hours, according to Sánchez. Temperatures that were 10 °C cooler over the weekend are set to rebound, reaching the mid-30s °C in parts of Spain and France by Tuesday-Wednesday, with peaks near Madrid possibly hitting the upper 30s °C.
In France, firefighters are defending the Gironde region around Bordeaux. Mayor Thomas Cazenave told BFMTV the city itself was not under immediate threat, though nearby towns were evacuated. A resident described staying indoors with windows shut as smoke turned the sky yellow.
Authorities in the Gironde region reported that 140 homes had been destroyed, a figure that could rise as access improves. One resident, Mathieu Plessis, said, "Everything burned down. It was my ancestors’ house, my grandmother was born in this house. We are devastated."
French officials announced further evacuations, bringing the total number of displaced people in France to more than 220,000, while Spain’s interior ministry reported over 100,000 evacuations. At least 68 firefighters have been injured in the effort.
Meteorological forecasts show no rain for the next five days in the hardest-hit zones and predict temperatures as high as 42 °C later in the week. Light winds are expected to aid containment efforts.
The fires have also prompted international assistance, with Germany pledging aid and firefighting teams from Greece, Italy and Portugal joining the response.
Wine expert Nicolle Croft, speaking from Bordeaux, said vineyards were not yet affected because the grapes are too small to absorb smoke, but expressed concern for the communities losing homes.
Emergency shelters, including a large exhibition centre in Bordeaux, are housing thousands of evacuees, many of whom were awakened by emergency alerts in the early hours of Friday.