Key facts
- Wildfires are spreading across France, Spain, and Italy amid a severe heatwave.
- Two firefighters have died in France, and one in Italy, while battling blazes.
- Over 10,000 people have been evacuated in southwestern France due to a wildfire near Bordeaux.
- The wildfire in southwestern France has consumed more than 2,000 hectares.
- Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attributed the increased fire activity to climate change.
- Approximately 254,388 hectares have been burnt across the EU in 2026 due to wildfires.
Wildfires are raging across southern France, Italy, and Spain, fueled by an intense heatwave gripping the region. In France, the fires have tragically resulted in the deaths of two firefighters, prompting authorities to issue warnings, including urging the public to avoid barbecues. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez paid tribute to the fallen firefighters. Multiple departments in southern France remain under a red alert for forest fires. In southwestern France's Gironde department, over 10,000 people were evacuated overnight due to a blaze that has ravaged more than 2,000 hectares, with 500 firefighters and aerial reinforcements tackling the fire. Italy has also seen significant fires, particularly in Sicily, where around 6,000 emergency responders have been mobilized. One firefighter, Alessandro Marchi, died while responding to a fire in San Cataldo, as announced by Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi. Spain is also battling major wildfires, including one declared southwest of Madrid, which led to resident evacuations. This follows a devastating wildfire in Spain's Guadalajara province that burned through 32,000 hectares. Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, visited a wildfire site in Guadalajara, directly linking the increased fire activity this year to climate change. Across the EU, wildfires have burnt approximately 254,388 hectares in 2026, a figure higher than the long-term average but below the total for the same period in 2025.