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Wildfires rage in France, Spain; over 1.6L people evacuated
25 Jul 2026

Over 1.6 lakh people have been evacuated from southwestern France and the Madrid region of Spain as massive wildfires continue to spread, according to AFP.

The fires have already destroyed thousands of hectares of land and several homes.

In France, around 44,000 residents were evacuated from the Cap Ferret peninsula near Bordeaux due to the threat posed by flames on its only road.

Macron orders army to assist in firefighting efforts
Government response

French President Emmanuel Macron has sought help from the European Union and ordered the army to assist in firefighting efforts.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said such large-scale fires have never been witnessed in France before. He assured all possible measures would be taken to protect Bordeaux from the advancing flames.

National emergency declared in Spain
Emergency declaration

In Spain, a national emergency has been declared due to wildfires near Madrid and in Avila.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is scheduled to visit the emergency coordination center on Saturday.

The fires around Madrid are said to be the worst in the region's history, with two major blazes merging into one near Navas del Rey.

Wildfires intensified by strong winds, drought conditions
Climate impact

The wildfires have been intensified by strong winds and drought conditions, which are attributed to human-induced climate change.

Spain has witnessed a series of wildfires in recent weeks, with the largest one burning in Guadalajara province.

Meanwhile, Italy is also battling wildfires in Sicily this week, and three firefighters have died overall, one in Sicily and two near Bordeaux.

Emergency shelters established for evacuated residents and tourists
Evacuation efforts

Emergency shelters have been established in schools and gymnasiums in southwestern France for evacuated residents and tourists, AFP reported.

Firefighting reinforcements from across France have been deployed to tackle the wildfires.

The European Commission has also sent four water-bombing planes to Spain and three to France after appeals for assistance.