BORDEAUX, July 25 (Alliance News): Massive wildfires driven by extreme heat and strong winds continued to spread across southwestern France and central Spain on Saturday, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people and prompting authorities to intensify emergency response efforts amid worsening climate conditions.
The rapidly advancing blazes moved inland toward the French city of Bordeaux, leading to large-scale evacuations in surrounding suburbs, while high winds complicated firefighting operations against a massive wildfire near Madrid in neighbouring Spain.
Authorities said nearly 197,000 people had been evacuated from France’s Gironde and Landes regions since the fires erupted earlier this week. In Spain, more than 63,000 residents have either been evacuated or ordered to remain indoors as three major wildfires continued to burn.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu described the situation as unprecedented, saying the country was facing an extraordinary wildfire crisis.
“The fires that are hitting our country have reached a level that has never been seen before,” he wrote on social media.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warned that firefighting operations were expected to remain difficult for several days despite some temporary improvement in weather conditions.
“We expect a fight that will be long and very difficult,” he told reporters, confirming that Bordeaux Airport had been closed due to the advancing fires.
French authorities said the flames had moved to within 30 kilometres (19 miles) of Bordeaux. Although conditions appeared calmer on Saturday morning, officials warned that stronger winds later in the day could accelerate the spread of the fires.
The French government advised the public to avoid unnecessary travel by road or rail in the affected areas, while the armed forces were deployed to assist firefighters struggling to contain the fast-moving blazes.
In Spain, the government declared its first national wildfire emergency, following the merger of two major fires west of Madrid and the continued spread of a third blaze in Avila Province.
Spain’s Civil Protection Service announced that four additional water-bombing aircraft from Italy and Greece were expected to join the firefighting effort under the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism. Aircraft from the Netherlands and Portugal had already been deployed to assist Spanish authorities.
Emergency officials said strong winds continued to hamper firefighting operations in both countries, while prolonged drought and successive heatwaves had created ideal conditions for wildfires.
The Bordeaux region, renowned for its pine forests and world-famous vineyards, remains particularly vulnerable because of dry vegetation and persistent high temperatures.
Near Madrid, wildfire damage extended to residential areas and holiday camps. Esteban Carrasco, owner of the Monasterio de Pelayos campsite, said approximately 30 mobile homes were destroyed after flames swept through the site, forcing around 200 campers to evacuate.
“It was a horrific disaster,” he told Spanish television, noting that no injuries had been reported.
Although smoke conditions over Madrid improved on Saturday, Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia urged residents to avoid outdoor activities because of lingering air pollution.
She advised people to limit physical activity outdoors and wear protective masks whenever smoke or ash remained present.
Scientists have repeatedly warned that human-induced climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, droughts and wildfires across Europe, making extreme fire seasons more common.
Authorities in both France and Spain warned that weather conditions remained highly favourable for further wildfire outbreaks and urged residents to remain vigilant as emergency crews continued efforts to contain the blazes.
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