Spain, France wildfires kill at least one, more than 265,000 evacuated: What we know so far
At least one person died and over 265,000 others were evacuated in France and Spain as wildfires raged through thousands of hectares in Spain and
At least one person died and over 265,000 others were evacuated in France and Spain as wildfires raged through thousands of hectares in Spain and France, authorities reportedly said. France According to AFP, France initially hustled 197,000 people from areas around popular vacation spot Bordeau one of its biggest-ever peacetime evacuations, though 3,000 were later allowed to return. In southwest France, 198,000 people have been evacuated across Gironde, Landes, Var and Tarn regions, with the majority of evacuations from Gironde, according to French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. Around 8,000 additional people have been evacuated near Bordeaux, according to Bordeaux's fire department. Fires currently raging across France have burned nearly 98,000 hectares (242,000 acres) — a "historic record", Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said. French President Emmanuel Macron said the country "will rebuild". Spain In Spain, around 60,000 people were evacuated from villages west of Madrid. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the priority was "to save lives" as he visited the fire zone. Nearly 88,000 others have been confined in Madrid and Avila, according to the Spanish Ministry of Interior.
Spain's interior ministry announced a series of new evacuations late Saturday as wildfires continued near Madrid, including in the province of Toledo southwest of Spanish capital. Also Read | Canada wildfire smoke chokes US cities as Trump demands tariff hike "The situation is complex," Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told the press. "Today, we are somewhat more pessimistic than yesterday. Weather conditions -- as you have seen throughout the day -- have not helped at all. The night ahead does not look favorable; it will not be an easy one for us," he warned. A separate wildfire near the eastern Spanish city of Valencia killed one person before firefighters brought it under control, AFP reported. A 78-year-old man died in the Spanish town of Manises, north-west of Valencia, in an area affected by the fire, according to the local fire brigade, ABC News reported. The victim had reduced mobility and was caught in the blaze near his orchard, officials said. The final stage of the Tour de France on Sunday has been shortened so that some of the security forces can be freed up and sent to help with the wildfires in the southwest.
'Battles were far from won' Overstretched firefighters in Spain and France, battling around the clock for days, have been unable to contain the infernos, which also claimed the lives of two French firefighters near Bordeaux earlier this week, according to AFP. Earlier Saturday, authorities in both countries suggested the intensity of some of the blazes had lessened. Also Read | Will Canadian wildfire smoke affect Spain vs Argentina FIFA World Cup final But the battles were far from won. The forecasts in France are "turning unfavourable again", Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu warned in a post on X Saturday evening, adding that the coming hours "could be difficult". Spain's Sanchez warned, "We are going to have some complex hours ahead." Tinderbox condition As per AFP, the fires in Spain and France advanced quickly because of tinderbox conditions worsened by successive heatwaves the two countries have experienced since May. Scientists say global warming is increasing droughts and causing weather emergencies to become more extreme and more frequent.
The BriefWire