Wildfire now 15 km from Bordeaux as mayor warns of 'all eventualities'
France is experiencing an unprecedented wildfire season, with one blaze just 15 km from Bordeaux triggering mass evacuations. In Spain, a national emergency enters its fifth day as fires rage west of Madrid.
The mayor of Bordeaux, Thomas Cazenave, has said he is preparing for all eventualities as one of numerous wildfires burning across France is now 15 km (9 miles) from the southwestern city. He stated that authorities are ready to accommodate a large number of people if further evacuation orders are issued.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the situation in the Gironde region as unprecedented, noting that the fire has a life of its own. Across France, some 220,000 people have been evacuated, while Spain has seen more than 100,000 evacuations. Another intense heatwave expected on Tuesday may further hamper firefighting efforts.
Jerome Steffe, the mayor of Cestas, a town south of Bordeaux, called this the fire of the century. He reported that 17,000 residents were evacuated from his town overnight when the fire surged two days ago. So far, 42,000 hectares (103,000 acres) have burned and 240 houses have been destroyed in the region. Although the fire is no longer moving as quickly, Steffe cautioned that his teams have won only a small battle, with risks from flying embers or sudden wind shifts. He admitted that everyone is scared.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu warned that France is going through an unprecedented fire season. In a post on X on Monday, he wrote that 116,085 hectares (286,852 acres) have already burned and 13,566 fire starts have been recorded since January. Nine out of ten fires are human-caused, mostly due to carelessness, but some are deliberately set. Since July 6, 162 arrests have been made.
President Emmanuel Macron is visiting the Gironde region to show support for firefighters. Wildfires are also burning in Var, Landes, and Haute-Corse on Corsica. In Spain, a national emergency is in its fifth day, with a wildfire west of Madrid affecting more than 27,000 hectares. Local officials have warned of the worst fires in the region's history. Satellite imagery analyzed by BBC Verify shows the rapid spread of the fire.
Climate change is driving up global temperatures, and Europe is the fastest-warming continent, heating at twice the global average. This leads to more intense heatwaves, greater pressure on water supplies, and more severe wildfires.
