Key facts
- French President Emmanuel Macron convened a crisis meeting to address wildfires threatening Bordeaux.
- Wildfires have forced over 220,000 people to evacuate in France and over 100,000 in Spain.
- The largest fire in France's Gironde region is now 15km from Bordeaux.
- Firefighters describe the situation as 'unprecedented' with a fire that 'has a life of its own'.
- A new heatwave is expected to bring temperatures as high as 40C from Tuesday.
French President Emmanuel Macron convened a crisis meeting as wildfires raged across the country and in Spain, threatening the city of Bordeaux. Firefighters in the Gironde region are battling a blaze described as 'unprecedented' and having 'a life of its own', with the fire now nine miles from Bordeaux. The mayor of Bordeaux is preparing for potential further evacuations.
Over 220,000 people have been evacuated in France and more than 100,000 in Spain, where fires continue to burn 'uncontrolled' west of Madrid. A new heatwave is expected to bring temperatures as high as 40C from Tuesday, potentially hindering firefighting efforts. The mayor of Cestas, south of Bordeaux, described the situation as 'catastrophic', with 17,000 residents evacuated from his town and 42,000 hectares of land burned.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu noted that France is experiencing an unprecedented fire season, with over 116,000 hectares burned and 13,566 fire starts recorded since January. He attributed most fires to carelessness, though some are deliberately set, leading to 162 arrests since July 6.
Spain has entered its fifth day of a national emergency due to wildfires west of Madrid, which have affected over 27,000 hectares. Climate change is identified as a factor increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves and wildfires in Europe.