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Heatwave Fuels Vast Wildfires in France and Spain

A forecasted rise in temperatures and ongoing drought risk re‑igniting blazes that have prompted mass evacuations and major emergency deployments.

Overview

  • The fires have burned hundreds of square kilometers across southwestern France and central and eastern Spain and have forced more than 300,000 people to leave their homes with at least one confirmed death.
  • French officials report about 30 active fires, with the Gironde blazes estimated at roughly 420 square kilometers and about 220,000 people evacuated from that area alone.
  • France has deployed around 1,500 soldiers to support more than 4,000 firefighters, and authorities said crews managed to stabilize some fronts overnight near Bordeaux.
  • Spanish authorities say roughly 200 square kilometers have burned and more than 105,000 people were evacuated, with major fires near Madrid, Ávila, Toledo and Valencia and one death reported on the outskirts of Valencia.
  • Forecasters predict a new spike in temperatures later this week that could re‑activate contained fires, raising the risk of renewed evacuations and further damage to homes and infrastructure.