Firefighters struggle to contain Madrid wildfires, as more than 140,000 evacuated in France and Spain

What the report says

BBC World News reports that firefighters in Spain and France are battling major wildfires that have forced more than 140,000 evacuations across the two countries. Near Madrid, three fires west of the Spanish capital have combined into one large blaze, prompting Spain’s government to declare a national emergency. Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso described the outbreak as the region’s worst recorded fire, citing extreme heat, strong winds and converging fire fronts.

Spanish officials said at least 30,000 people have been evacuated in the Madrid region, while tens of thousands more have been affected or told to remain indoors. Emergency services warned the fire was moving toward Robledo de Chavela and Fresnedillas de la Olivia, about 50km from Madrid. The Military Emergency Unit has been deployed, with crews prioritizing protection around El Escorial. Officials are also watching a large blaze in Ávila province, which they fear could join the Madrid fire; one person has been arrested and another is under investigation in connection with that fire, according to the BBC citing local reports.

In south-west France, the BBC says more than 110,000 people have been evacuated as fires spread through Gironde and Landes. A Gironde fire described by the local prefect as “XXL” has burned more than 19,000 hectares and destroyed about 80 homes, while officials warned it had shifted direction toward Bordeaux. President Emmanuel Macron has mobilized the military and activated the EU civil protection mechanism for reinforcements.

The fires come amid severe heat, drought and wind across southern Europe. The BBC notes that the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service says Europe is warming faster than the global average, conditions that can dry vegetation and make wildfires spread more rapidly once ignited.