Firefighters in south-west France are struggling to contain wildfires as strong winds push flames toward the city of Bordeaux, with one official stating they ‘are far from having the fire under control.’

Evacuations and Emergency Measures

Overnight, seven towns west of Bordeaux were told to evacuate residents, adding to the more than 220,000 people who have fled fires in France and Spain. French authorities have ordered the evacuation of almost 60,000 people near Bordeaux, bringing the total number of people told to flee to more than 220,000.

In Spain, where a state of emergency has been declared, a change in weather conditions has helped firefighters outside Madrid, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez admitted there are ‘complex times ahead.’

Impact on Local Communities

A man believed to be in his 70s was found dead in his car by firefighters as they extinguished a fire in the Salt de l’Aigua ravine in Manises. In France. Around 200,000 people have been evacuated in the south-western regions of Gironde and Landes.

France has mobilised its military to help with the response, with extra reinforcements from the army sent to assist firefighters by clearing brush and creating fire breaks. As of Saturday morning. The wildfire was around 40km to 50km away from Bordeaux, but the wind was still blowing smoke towards the city.

A British couple holidaying in Bordeaux reported the flames worsening on Friday night — they described the smoke as hitting their lungs immediately and the ash covering their pool and turning their feet black when walking outside.

International Response and Predictions

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to have an emergency meeting with ministers as 30 or so fires rage across the country,a situation described as ‘totally rare’ by the government. In Spain. Fires continued near Madrid but the regional government noted some progress due to less wind, higher humidity, and lower temperatures.

Madrid’s regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso described the situation as the ‘worst fire in the history of the region.’ Sánchez stated that 130,000 hectares of land had been burned in Spain so far this year, ahead of an annual average of 100,000 hectares over the last decade.

Hadja Lahbib, the EU’s commissioner for crisis management, warned that the damage from wildfires in Europe is likely to surpass previous records, she noted that fires had started earlier in the year, with the Netherlands activating the EU’s civil protection mechanism in April.

Lahbib told the BBC that last year, one million hectares burned during the summer, and she expects another historical, ‘sad record’ because the season has started earlier this year. She also warned that more outbreaks are likely as the summer progresses, with forecasters predicting another heatwave.

France has activated the civil protection mechanism and will receive water bombers, including three Canadairs planes from Croatia and two Air Tractors from Portugal, as well as Black Hawk helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and 40 members of a Romanian forest fire team.