Record-breaking wildfires force evacuations in southwestern France and Spain

Hundreds of thousands of residents in southwestern France and Spain have been ordered to evacuate as wildfires burn with unprecedented intensity. At least three people, including two firefighters, have died and numerous homes have been destroyed.

Satellite data show the area burned in France is already 40% larger than the previous record year, and the energy output measured by NASA is double the July record. For the first time in France, a pyrocumulonimbus firestorm formed, amplifying the blaze, which officials say threatens major cities such as Bordeaux and Madrid.

"The fire is so virulent and has such power that no matter what you do, you can’t put it out," a Spanish firefighter told the Associated Press.

Scientists attribute the severity to a combination of severe drought, heatwaves that are 4–5 °C above normal, and climate change that has pushed regional temperatures 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels in recent years. The fires are occurring in areas traditionally prone to wildfires, but also along the more humid Atlantic coast near Bordeaux, where conditions were expected to be less extreme.

Authorities are working to contain the blazes before another heatwave arrives later this week, while also preparing for potential health impacts from widespread smoke exposure, which can increase respiratory and cardiovascular problems.

Experts warn that the carbon released by the burning vegetation will add to greenhouse-gas emissions, potentially creating a feedback loop that intensifies future climate change. They recommend adaptation measures such as reducing fuel loads, prescribed burns, forest thinning, and creating green firebreaks to mitigate future wildfire risk.