Firefighters in southwestern France are battling to prevent a massive wildfire from reaching the outskirts of Bordeaux after the blaze scorched about 42,000 hectares—an area roughly four times the size of Paris. Strong winds have fueled the fire, forcing the evacuation of nearly 220,000 people in the Gironde region.
French authorities have deployed around 2,500 firefighters, supported by military personnel, police, aircraft, and international teams, to contain the rapidly spreading flames. Officials described the fire as highly unpredictable, with its intensity generating its own weather system.
Across France, more than 260,000 people have been evacuated as multiple wildfires continue to burn, while authorities arrested three people in Gironde on suspicion of actions that may have sparked fires, including the use of fireworks.
Meanwhile, Spain is also battling severe wildfires. Although fires near Madrid are gradually being brought under control, a new blaze near Valencia has forced at least 15,000 residents to evacuate. The country has declared a national wildfire emergency after more than 116,000 people fled their homes.
European officials warn that prolonged heatwaves linked to climate change are creating one of the worst wildfire seasons on record, with France and Spain already recording hundreds of thousands of hectares of burned land.
