More than 160,000 people have been evacuated from France and Spain as record-breaking wildfires continue to rage across both countries, forcing authorities to deploy the military and seek assistance from the European Union.
According to Channels Television, the fires have burned uncontrollably for several days near Bordeaux in southwestern France and around Madrid, with hundreds of exhausted firefighters battling the flames around the clock.
French President Emmanuel Macron ordered the military to join firefighting efforts after authorities described the blaze as the largest wildfire crisis France has ever experienced.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the country had never witnessed fires on such a scale, while officials warned that the wildfire near Bordeaux was threatening the wider metropolitan area, home to some of the world’s most renowned vineyards.
Emergency shelters were opened in schools, gymnasiums and other public buildings to accommodate thousands of displaced residents and holidaymakers.
French and Spanish authorities said at least 141,000 people had been evacuated in southwestern France, while another 25,000 residents left their homes around Madrid. Nearly 40,000 more people in Spain were advised to remain indoors because of heavy smoke.
In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was scheduled to visit Cenicientos, one of the communities hardest hit by the fires. Authorities said two major wildfires west of Madrid had merged into a larger blaze, raising fears it could spread closer to the Spanish capital.
Madrid’s regional environment official, Carlos Novillo, said the fire remained beyond firefighters’ capacity to contain, although officials expressed hope that cooler temperatures forecast for Saturday would improve conditions.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the deployment of 1,000 military personnel to support emergency operations. The fires have already destroyed about 22,000 hectares of land in France, roughly twice the size of Paris, while Spain’s largest active wildfire in Guadalajara province has scorched around 32,000 hectares.
Authorities also confirmed that around 40 firefighters had been injured while tackling the Cap Ferret wildfire. Three firefighters have died in separate wildfires in France and Italy this week.
Scientists have linked the severity of the fires to prolonged heatwaves and drought conditions, warning that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.
