New heatwave complicates wildfire battle in France and Spain
France and Spain face a new heatwave that could worsen massive wildfires. President Macron warns of tough weeks ahead as firefighters race against time.
A new heatwave is settling over France and Spain, complicating efforts to contain massive wildfires that have ravaged thousands of hectares and forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate. French President Emmanuel Macron, visiting a crisis centre in Bordeaux, warned that "the coming weeks will be tough and we have to hold out."
In the Gironde region of southwestern France, a gigantic blaze has burned 42,000 hectares (103,000 acres) over the past week, forcing 220,000 people to flee and destroying 240 homes. The fire has become so intense that it created a rare pyrocumulonimbus cloud, which generates lightning. However, the fire remained stable for a second consecutive night as of Tuesday morning, offering hope that firefighters can make progress before the heatwave worsens conditions.
Macron confirmed that a forest fire in the neighbouring Landes region, which had forced more than 30,000 people to evacuate, is now under control but remains "virulent." He urged extreme caution in the coming hours and days.
Spain has one critical day to contain its wildfires before temperatures rise again. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the country faces "difficult hours, complex hours." About 60,000 people have been evacuated in Spain, often with just minutes' notice. Hundreds have also been forced from their homes in Italy. According to authorities, the fires in Spain have affected 77,000 hectares (190,000 acres), an area nearly the size of New York City.
French health authorities have warned that air quality is "degraded" in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, with fine particulate matter far above safe limits. Residents have been advised to keep doors and windows closed, cover vents with damp cloths, and turn off ventilation systems. Some 3.5 million FFP2 filtering masks will be delivered to the region by Wednesday.
