More than 250,000 flee wildfires in France and Spain

What the report says

BBC World News reports that wildfires in France and Spain have forced more than 250,000 people to leave their homes or holiday areas, as hot, windy conditions continue to complicate firefighting. In south-west France, officials said crews were still far from controlling blazes threatening areas near Bordeaux, with seven towns west of the city ordered to evacuate overnight.

Around 200,000 people have been evacuated in France’s Gironde and Landes regions, according to the BBC. France has deployed military support to help firefighters clear vegetation and build fire breaks, while President Emmanuel Macron was expected to meet ministers as dozens of fires burn across the country. The final stage of the Tour de France has also been shortened so security personnel can be redirected to fire-hit areas.

In Spain, where a state of emergency has been declared, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned of “complex” hours ahead, even as lower wind, cooler temperatures and higher humidity helped crews near Madrid. The BBC, citing Spain’s Interior Ministry, reported that nearly 60,000 people have been evacuated from the Madrid and Ávila regions, while more than 28,000 remain confined at home. Authorities in València confirmed that a man, believed to be in his 70s, died in a fire in Manises.

The BBC also noted wider concern across Europe, including major fires in Sicily and Scotland. EU officials said France and Spain are receiving aircraft and other support through the bloc’s civil protection system, with crisis management officials warning that Europe’s wildfire damage could reach another severe level this season.