Unchecked wildfires in France and Spain have forced nearly 260,000 people to evacuate. In France, 197,000 people were evacuated from areas around Bordeaux, though 3,000 were later allowed to return. In Spain, 60,000 people were evacuated from villages west of Madrid. The wildfires have claimed the lives of three firefighters and one civilian. Overstretched firefighters in both countries have been battling the blazes around the clock, but the fires remain largely uncontrolled. The fires have burned nearly 98,000 hectares in France and up to 25,000 hectares in Spain.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu warned that the forecasts in France are 'turning unfavourable again,' and the coming hours 'could be difficult.' Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the priority was 'to save lives' as he visited the fire zone. The massive smoke clouds thrown up by the French and Spanish fires were starting to connect in the atmosphere, according to satellite images from Spain's Aemet weather agency.
Both countries are receiving EU help in the form of firefighting aircraft from other European countries. France has deployed 1,500 soldiers and 1,700 security personnel to help firefighters near Bordeaux, and an A400M military transport aircraft joined the fleet of smaller planes already dousing flames. Dozens of firefighters were deployed from Paris to boost the fight.
Local authorities set up emergency shelters in schools and gymnasiums in southwestern France for tourists and residents. The massive fires have left thousands of people wondering what they will return to. Sunday's final stage of the Tour de France road cycling race has been shortened after the interior ministry said it would need to redeploy officers mobilised for race security to the fires instead.
