Large-scale wildfires are advancing rapidly across France and Spain, creating one of the worst crises the two countries have faced in recent years.
More than 320,000 people have been forced to leave their homes. In southwestern France, the flames have come within 15 kilometers of the city of Bordeaux.
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French authorities said the major blaze in the Gironde region, near the Atlantic coast, spread rapidly overnight. So far, the fire has engulfed around 420,000 hectares of land.
Despite the flames’ proximity to Bordeaux, Mayor Thomas Cazenave announced that no evacuation of the city has been ordered at this time.
According to the French government’s assessment, evacuating residents from the Bordeaux area could become the largest evacuation operation ever carried out in France during peacetime.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the situation as “very difficult.” He explained that the fire has become unpredictable and is moving toward populated areas.
More than 4,150 firefighters, 18 firefighting aircraft and around 1,500 soldiers have been mobilized to tackle the flames. International teams have also joined the operation, including a unit from Switzerland.
The danger is expected to increase further due to a new heat wave forecast to hit France next week, the country’s authorities have warned.
Spain is also facing a critical situation. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called for a national agreement on managing the consequences of climate change, while warning that the coming days would be difficult.
Around 75,000 people have been evacuated from areas surrounding Madrid and in the Valencia region. Strong winds are fueling the spread of the fires, which have destroyed approximately 250,000 hectares of land west of the Spanish capital.
Virginia Barcones, Secretary-General of Spain’s Civil Protection authority, said the situation was a national emergency. According to her, the fire front stretches for around 280 kilometers, from the Community of Madrid to the provinces of Ávila and Toledo.
King Felipe VI also responded to the situation, expressing regret over the damage to Spain’s natural heritage. He emphasized that many families have been away from their homes for days, while others have lost everything because of the fires.
Authorities in France and Spain are urging citizens to exercise the utmost caution, as high temperatures and weather conditions continue to create favorable conditions for the flames to spread.
