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Firefighters in France and Spain are racing to strengthen containment lines after making limited overnight progress against wildfires threatening communities near Bordeaux and Madrid. Authorities warned the next two days are critical before temperatures climb back towards 38–40C later this week, increasing the risk of renewed fire activity.
More than 360,000 people have been evacuated across both countries, while President Emmanuel Macron chaired an emergency cabinet meeting to coordinate France’s response to the escalating crisis.
Details
- France: More than 250,000 people have been evacuated nationwide, including around 220,000 from the Gironde region, where firefighters continue battling one of the country’s largest wildfires in decades.
- Bordeaux threat: Officials said the Gironde wildfire remained unpredictable but broadly stable overnight. Although Bordeaux itself is not currently scheduled for evacuation, authorities remain on high alert as flames continue threatening communities surrounding the city.
- Spain: More than 116,000 people have evacuated their homes as major fires continue burning in the Madrid, Ávila and Castellón regions. Officials reported some overnight progress but warned several fire fronts remain active.
- Heatwave risk: Weather forecasts indicate temperatures could reach 38C near Bordeaux and 39C around Madrid later this week, prompting firefighters to accelerate containment efforts before conditions deteriorate again.
- Scale of destruction: French authorities said about 42,000 hectares have burned in Gironde alone, while Spanish officials estimate roughly 77,000 hectares have been affected nationwide, highlighting the scale of one of Europe’s worst wildfire emergencies this year.
What to Watch
Firefighters are racing to expand containment lines before extreme heat returns from Tuesday. French authorities are expected to announce further emergency measures following Macron’s crisis cabinet meeting, while Spain continues monitoring active fire fronts around Madrid, Ávila and Castellón to prevent new flare-ups as temperatures rise.
