Wildfires Force Mass Evacuations Across France and Spain
Wildfires in southwest France forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate overnight Sunday, as shifting winds, prolonged heat and dry vegetation complicated efforts to contain the flames. In the Gironde region, where Bordeaux is located, authorities ordered evacuations in five additional communities as the fire moved toward the metropolitan area.
About 42,000 hectares had burned by Sunday morning, an area roughly four times the size of Paris. Officials said the blaze had destroyed 240 homes and injured 75 firefighters. More than 2,500 firefighters were deployed, supported by 18 aircraft and helicopters, soldiers and assistance from other European countries. Farmers also supplied water to crews working to control flare-ups.
Bordeaux Mayor Thomas Cazenave said the fire had come within about 15 kilometres of the city, although officials were not planning to evacuate Bordeaux itself. An exhibition centre was converted into an emergency shelter, offering beds and food to displaced residents, including older people moved from care homes.
A separate fire in the Landes region forced 36,000 people to leave their homes, raising the number displaced across southwest France to more than 250,000. Another fire in the Mediterranean Var region prompted nearly 3,000 evacuations. Pope Leo expressed solidarity with those affected and called for prayers for residents and rescue workers.
Spain was also confronting major wildfires around Madrid and in Valencia. Government figures said 76,000 people had been evacuated and another 30,000 confined to their homes. A man died in Manises, near Valencia, in what authorities described as Spain’s first recorded death in the latest fires.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said crews had made progress overnight, while warning that difficult conditions remained. Across both countries, emergency services continued containment efforts as evacuees waited for information about damage to their homes and communities.