Wildfires still burning in France and Spain amid fears of more to come

What the report says

Wildfires in France and Spain are still burning, though officials and firefighters say some of the most dangerous blazes have begun to stabilise. Al Jazeera reported on August 3, 2026, that crews from across Europe continued to work on fires that forced evacuations, sent smoke over towns and villages, and damaged homes, campsites and forested land.

In southwest France, fires in the Gironde region and the Var department scorched tens of thousands of hectares. French officials said the country’s largest blaze since 1949 is under control, but not yet fully extinguished. In central Spain, fires near Madrid have eased enough for many evacuees to return home, although firefighters are still dealing with flare-ups and new hotspots in provinces including Leon and Caceres.

The report places the fires in the context of a hotter and drier Europe, noting that scientists link rising temperatures, long droughts and strong winds to more fire-prone conditions in southern Europe. Al Jazeera said the number of summer days with conditions favorable to wildfires has more than doubled since the early 1980s.

The developments matter because they show how extreme heat and dry weather are increasing pressure on emergency services and raising the risk of more fires as the summer continues.