Wildfires in France and Spain force more than 250,000 to flee as crews continue to battle untamed blazes - CBS News

What the report says

CBS News reported that fast-moving wildfires in Spain and France had forced more than 250,000 people to leave their homes or holiday areas by Saturday, as emergency crews continued battling fires fueled by very dry conditions after repeated heat waves. At least one person died in Manises, Spain, according to local authorities cited in the report.

In Spain, smoke and ash reached parts of Madrid, where CBS said about 70,000 people were evacuated and residents were told to keep windows closed. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited a fire zone near the capital, declared a national emergency and said the immediate focus was protecting lives. He said Spain had already seen 130,000 hectares of forest burn this year, above the recent annual average of 100,000 hectares.

In France, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said nearly 242,000 acres had burned, describing it as a historic record, and said at least 197,000 people had been evacuated. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called the fires unprecedented, while President Emmanuel Macron deployed 1,000 soldiers to support firefighters near Bordeaux. France also ordered an experimental A400M military transport aircraft capable of dropping fire retardant to join firefighting operations.

CBS reported that both Spain and France received or expected firefighting aircraft from other European countries, including Italy, Greece, Portugal, Croatia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The fires disrupted daily life and tourism, filled shelters in places such as Bordeaux, and led Tour de France organizers to shorten Sunday’s final stage. The report also noted scientists’ broader warning that climate change is making drought and extreme weather events more frequent and severe in Europe.