Wildfires rage across France and Spain amid climate emergency

Key facts

• Massive wildfires are burning in France and Spain due to an intense summer heatwave.
• In France, a wildfire near Bordeaux has forced the evacuation of approximately 220,000 people.
• The Bordeaux fire has consumed 42,000 hectares and is threatening the metropolitan area.
• In Spain, over 75,000 people have been evacuated and 30,000 ordered to shelter in place.
• Temperatures are expected to rise further in Bordeaux, increasing the risk.
• The French government is convening a cabinet meeting to discuss the situation.

Firefighters are battling massive wildfires in France and Spain, which have been exacerbated by an intense summer heatwave. In France, a blaze near Bordeaux has forced the evacuation of approximately 220,000 people, with the fire spreading unpredictably and now posing a threat to the city's metropolitan area. The fire has consumed 42,000 hectares, an area described as four times the size of Paris. Authorities are in a race against time as temperatures are forecast to rise further later this week.

In neighboring Spain, over 75,000 people have been evacuated and an additional 30,000 have been ordered to shelter in place due to numerous blazes. While fires near Madrid are being controlled, a new fire near Valencia is reportedly beyond extinguishing capacity, leading Spanish authorities to declare a national emergency for the first time. The French government is set to discuss the wildfire situation at a cabinet meeting.