In a sign of hope, firefighters in France are cautiously optimistic as a little rain fell on Thursday near Bordeaux, the wine capital. The rain raised hopes that an end to the massive forest fire in a seaside pine forest was near, allowing some of the 220,000 displaced people to return home. The fire, which has burned 42,000 hectares, has not progressed since the weekend.
Meanwhile, in Spain, wildfires threatening areas near Madrid have stopped expanding, with 'almost no flames left,' according to the prefect's office. However, a new fire broke out near the Portuguese border, forcing the evacuation of more than 600 people. Another fire in Avila, the largest Spain has experienced since records began in 1961, has burned around 50,000 hectares.
The repeated heatwaves and wildfires across Europe have prompted reflection on the reality of climate change. In Bordeaux, Uber driver Kevin Montmartre, who was forced to evacuate three times, said the increased frequency of wildfires was making him reconsider his home in Andernos-les-Bains.
Elsewhere in Europe, thousands were evacuated as fires threatened a tourist resort on the Greek island of Crete and continued to rage, fanned by violent winds. Turkey was also battling at least 115 fires, although at least 110 were under control.
Europe has been gripped by successive heatwaves and a major drought this year, which scientists have attributed to human-caused climate change. The neighboring countries have been experiencing some of the worst forest fires in living memory over the past week, burning vast areas and forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes.
