More than 300,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes as devastating wildfires continue to sweep through parts of France and Spain, with strong winds and scorching temperatures hampering firefighting efforts.
In southwestern France, firefighters are struggling to contain a massive blaze advancing toward the city of Bordeaux. Officials warned the fire remains far from under control, with shifting winds and extreme conditions making containment increasingly difficult.
French authorities ordered an additional 55,000 people to evacuate on Saturday, bringing the total number of evacuees in the Gironde and Landes regions to about 250,000.
Firefighter Captain Nicolas Braz said the blaze had become highly unpredictable, generating its own wind patterns and whirlwinds that were complicating firefighting operations. He warned that another difficult night lay ahead for emergency crews.
France has mobilized military personnel to assist firefighters by clearing vegetation and creating firebreaks, while additional reinforcements have been deployed to affected areas.
President Emmanuel Macron pledged government support for recovery efforts, saying France would rebuild and continue assisting affected communities for as long as necessary.
Smoke from the fires spread across Bordeaux on Saturday, leaving residents reporting a strong smell of burning in the air.
Tourists and residents described chaotic evacuation scenes as the fires approached populated areas. Some said thick smoke, ash and strong winds had made conditions increasingly hazardous.
The ongoing wildfire emergency has also disrupted sporting events. Organizers shortened Sunday's final stage of the Tour de France from 133 kilometers to 89 kilometers to allow security personnel to be redeployed to wildfire-affected regions.
French authorities said around 30 major wildfires were burning across the country, calling the situation unprecedented.
In neighboring Spain, where a state of emergency has been declared in some areas, firefighters continued battling major blazes west of Madrid despite some improvement in weather conditions.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned the country still faced "complex times ahead" even as cooler conditions offered firefighters some relief.
Authorities in the Valencia region also confirmed the death of a man believed to be in his 70s, whose body was found inside a burned vehicle after a wildfire in Manises.
Nearly 60,000 people have been evacuated from the Madrid and Ávila regions since the fires began, while more than 28,000 others remain confined to their homes, according to Spain's Interior Ministry. Additional evacuation orders were issued Saturday for several municipalities near Toledo.
Madrid regional President Isabel Díaz Ayuso described the disaster as the worst wildfire emergency in the region's history.
Sánchez said about 130,000 hectares of land have burned across Spain this year, exceeding the country's decade-long annual average of 100,000 hectares. In France, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said nearly 98,000 hectares have been destroyed by wildfires since the beginning of 2026.
Elsewhere in Europe, Italy has also been battling widespread fires, with more than 350 blazes, including 10 major wildfires, reported in Sicily. In Scotland, emergency services declared a major incident as firefighters continued efforts to contain a wildfire that has burned for 10 days in the Cairngorms National Park.
European Union officials warned that this year's wildfire season could surpass previous records. EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib said the fire season had started unusually early and cautioned that further outbreaks are likely as additional heatwaves are forecast.
To support affected countries, the EU has activated its Civil Protection Mechanism, deploying firefighting aircraft, helicopters and specialized personnel from several member states to assist France and Spain.
Source: BBC