Firefighters in France and Spain rushed to contain the worst wildfires in living memory Tuesday, seizing crucial hours before the arrival of another wave of searing temperatures.
More than 325,000 people have fled their homes in the two countries, with some of the worst fires in their recent history burning across south-west France and central and eastern Spain.
French President Emmanuel Macron warned of hard times ahead as he visited a crisis centre in the city on Monday.
"The coming weeks will be tough and we have to hold out," he said.
Over the past six days, the wildfire near Bordeaux has ravaged 42,000 hectares, forced 220,000 people to flee and destroyed 240 houses.
"Mobilisation is still full and complete, particularly on the eve of a day that is expected to be marked by a significant rise in temperatures and a drop in humidity," the prefect of Gironde said late Monday, describing the situation as "highly unpredictable".
During a visit to Avila province, west of Madrid, on Sunday, Sanchez warned that “difficult hours lie ahead”.
In a post on social media platform X, Pope Leo XIV called for prayers for those affected and rescuers "in the face of the devastating fires that have struck several localities in France and Spain in recent days".
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Fire creates its own weather
In France, the Gironde fire has generated an unprecedented pyrocumulonimbus – a vast cloud formed by intense heat that can create powerful winds, lightning and further fires, according to the National Firefighters Federation.
“It’s a David-versus-Goliath scenario,” federation spokesman Eric Brocardi said. “At some point, we’ll find a weak spot and strike there.”
The fire has burnt through 42,000 hectares in Gironde since Wednesday – an area around seven times the size of Manhattan – and destroyed at least 240 homes.
Gironde’s prefect urged tourists to choose other destinations as emergency crews struggled with constantly shifting winds.
“The wind is changing so much, it’s really the fire calling the shots,” one firefighter said.
Spain counts heavy losses
In Spain, around 75,000 residents have been evacuated from areas including Madrid, Avila, Toledo, Castellon and Valencia.
King Felipe VI, visiting an emergency shelter in Villamanta, said the fires had caused “incalculable” damage to Spain’s natural heritage.
Winds were pushing fires near Madrid southwards and away from the capital, although villages in their path continued to be evacuated. In Valencia, officials described the latest blaze as “very intense”.
One civilian has died in a smaller fire near Valencia, while two firefighters were killed near Bordeaux. At least 84 French firefighters have been injured since Wednesday.
Scientists say climate change is making extreme heat and wildfires more frequent and intense. The latest blazes have been fuelled by forests left dangerously dry after successive heatwaves and months of limited rainfall.
Italy was also fighting wildfires, with more than 400 tourists and beachgoers evacuated by sea near Peschici in the southern Puglia region.
(with newswires)
