Firefighters across France and Spain are working to contain some of Europe’s largest wildfires in recent years before another heatwave pushes temperatures close to 40°C across large parts of both countries.
More than 300,000 people have left their homes in recent days as fires spread through forests, campsites and rural communities near Bordeaux in France and west of Madrid in Spain.
Authorities warn that higher temperatures, dry vegetation and shifting winds are expected to increase the pressure on emergency crews during the coming days.
French firefighters reported progress overnight in the Gironde region after preventing the main fire west of Bordeaux from expanding for a second consecutive night. The blaze has burned about 42,000 hectares, destroyed around 240 homes and forced about 220,000 people to evacuate.
Despite the progress, officials stressed that the fire remains active and has not been brought under control.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited the emergency operations centre in Bordeaux, described the disaster as the country’s most severe wildfire crisis since the Second World War.
“The coming weeks will be tough and we have to hold out,” Macron said during the visit. He also confirmed that a separate wildfire in neighbouring Landes had been brought under control but warned that authorities must remain cautious because flare-ups remain possible.
French authorities said more than 2,000 firefighters remain deployed in Gironde, supported by military personnel, aircraft and assistance from other European countries through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism.
Air quality has also become a concern across parts of southwestern France. Health authorities warned that smoke particles have pushed pollution levels above recommended limits, advising residents to keep windows closed and reduce exposure. Millions of FFP2 masks are being distributed across affected areas.
The scale of the fire has produced a rare pyrocumulonimbus cloud, sometimes described as a fire-generated thunderstorm. Fire officials said the phenomenon creates its own weather system, making the behaviour of the blaze less predictable and forcing crews to adjust their tactics.
Lieutenant Colonel Eric Brocardi, spokesperson for the National Federation of Firefighters of France, compared the conditions with major wildfire events previously seen in Australia and Canada. He said firefighters now face fires that generate their own weather and require different operational methods.
Brocardi also called for what he described as a “massive attack” strategy involving aircraft and ground crews during the earliest stages of major fires.
In Spain, firefighters are also trying to gain control before another period of extreme heat begins on Wednesday.
Wildfires burning across the Madrid, Ávila and Toledo regions have affected about 77,000 hectares and forced around 60,000 people to evacuate.
Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska described recent progress as “reasonably positive” but said the coming hours remain decisive before weather conditions worsen.
Regional authorities around Madrid also reported gradual improvement. Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso said emergency services had achieved progress that allowed officials to become “more optimistic”, although she acknowledged that fires remained active and further work was required before residents return to affected areas.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez appealed for public cooperation as another heatwave approaches.
“We face difficult hours, complex hours,” Sánchez said, urging people across the country to exercise caution.
Spain’s national weather agency AEMET has forecast the fourth heatwave of the summer from Wednesday until at least Sunday. Temperatures are expected to reach 42°C in parts of northeastern Spain and around 39°C in central regions, including the Madrid area.
France is also preparing for another period of intense heat. Météo-France forecasts temperatures approaching 40°C in parts of the country, with southwestern regions expected to remain dry and exposed to changing winds that increase wildfire risk.
The European Union continues to support national authorities through satellite monitoring provided by the Copernicus programme and additional firefighting aircraft supplied through the rescEU reserve.
Since the beginning of the year, France has recorded more than 115,000 hectares burned, while Spain has lost about 150,000 hectares to wildfires, according to figures cited by European authorities.
HT