Overview
- Authorities have moved more than 300,000 people to safety, including about 220,000 in France and over 75,000 in Spain, with tens of thousands more ordered to shelter in place.
- The main blaze in Gironde was reported about 15 kilometres from Bordeaux’s entry points on Sunday, threatening vineyards, coastal tourism zones and key road and rail links near the city.
- France has mobilised roughly 1,500 troops and deployed a modified A400M transport plane for retardant drops while more than 5,000 firefighters, police and gendarmes battle the fires.
- European Union civil‑protection assets and several member states have sent Canadair water‑bombers, crews and equipment to both countries as firefighters report exhaustion and unpredictable, wind‑driven fire behaviour.
- The season’s repeated heatwaves and prolonged drought are blamed by scientists for creating tinder‑dry conditions, a new heatwave is forecast to raise risks this week, and the blazes will likely deepen damage to tourism, homes and forests and complicate recovery.