More than 320,000 people have been evacuated across parts of France and Spain as fast-moving wildfires continue to sweep through southern Europe, fuelled by extreme heat, dry conditions and strong winds.
In southwestern France, more than 220,000 residents have been forced to leave their homes after authorities expanded evacuation orders to five additional villages around Bordeaux on Saturday night. Thousands of firefighters remain on the front lines as crews battle to contain the rapidly spreading blazes.
The European Union has stepped up its support, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announcing that five firefighting aircraft and two helicopters from the EU’s rescEU emergency fleet have been deployed to assist French authorities.
Meanwhile, wildfires continue to burn across the Madrid region and the province of Ávila in Spain. The Spanish government has declared a national emergency in the two regions, where around 100,000 people have been evacuated as emergency services work to bring multiple fires under control.
The cross-border response underscores the scale of the crisis, with firefighting teams and aircraft from several European countries joining efforts to protect lives, homes and critical infrastructure as the wildfires continue to threaten communities across southern Europe.
