Wildfires in southwest Europe: What we know so far

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported on July 27, 2026, that major wildfires across southwest Europe have forced large-scale evacuations, with France and Spain the hardest hit. Authorities said about 220,000 people had been evacuated in France and about 75,000 in Spain, while roughly 30,000 more people in Spain were told to remain indoors. The fires began spreading in early July after record heatwaves and severe dry conditions affected much of Europe.

In France, officials described some of the country’s worst fires since World War II, particularly around the Cap Ferret peninsula and areas near Bordeaux. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said about 115,000 hectares had burned in France since the start of the year, and officials moved 197,000 people from areas around Bordeaux. Bordeaux Mayor Thomas Cazenave said there were not yet plans to evacuate the wider city, but the government warned against travel to the region.

Spain has also faced deadly and fast-moving fires. Al Jazeera reported that a blaze in Andalusia killed at least 12 people on July 10, and Spanish authorities declared a national emergency on July 24 after saying two major fires were out of control. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said more than 150,000 hectares had burned in Spain since January, far above the same period last year.

The report said firefighters are contending with difficult weather and pyrocumulonimbus clouds, which can generate lightning and spread embers. Authorities in both countries have deployed thousands of firefighters and appealed for international help, underscoring the growing strain that extreme heat and drought can place on emergency services, transport networks and tourist regions.