Wildfires scorch southern Europe, killing two firefighters in Greece and prompting massive evacuations in France and Spain
A blaze covering an area four times the size of Paris forced over 200,000 people to flee in France, while two firefighters died fighting a separate fire on Crete, as heat, drought and strong winds drive a regional wildfire crisis.
A wildfire in France’s Gironde region, estimated to be four times the size of Paris, continued to threaten the southwest coast on Wednesday despite a calm night. Temperatures were expected to reach 40 °C (104 °F) with strengthening winds, prompting authorities to keep more than 2,200 firefighters and over 20 aircraft on the scene, supported by crews from other French regions and European partners.
Investigators said the fire may have started when contractors working near a high-voltage line for power-grid operator Enedis used a brush-cutting machine, a scenario that appears to comply with existing regulations. The blaze forced the evacuation of about 220,000 residents at its peak, making it the largest peacetime evacuation in France, according to interior minister Laurent Nuñez.
"We strike quickly and strike hard at any new smoke emissions," said Gironde fire commander Matthieu Jomain.
Local volunteers also assisted, building firebreaks and pumping water from lakes to supply firefighters. Residents expressed confidence that neighbors would help if the fire reached their area.
The fire created a rare pyrocumulonimbus cloud – a black thundercloud that generated its own lightning and wind, marking the first recorded instance of such a phenomenon in France.
In Greece, two firefighters died while battling a wildfire in the Rethymno region of Crete. The deaths occurred among roughly 125 firefighters confronting flames driven by strong winds, with four helicopters and four water-dropping planes deployed. The fire department said the firefighters died “in the line of duty to protect the lives and property of citizens and the natural environment.”
Across the border, Spain saw a mixed picture: evacuation orders were lifted for about 20,000 people around Madrid and Ávila, while roughly 10,000 residents remained under orders in Castellón as a separate fire continued to burn. Overall, about 330,000 people had been displaced across France and Spain at the height of the crisis.
Météo-France warned that Wednesday would be the hottest and driest day of the week, with drought conditions covering mainland France and Corsica and soils approaching record dryness. The extreme heat and prolonged drought have been linked to the rapid spread of fires throughout the region.