Top News

Europe's wildfires may continue to burn until November 
28 Jul 2026

European Union officials have warned that wildfires could still be burning until early November.

Firefighters in France and Spain are rushing to bring massive wildfires, which have forced nearly 300,000 people to evacuate their homes, under control before another heatwave later this week.

In France alone, around 220,000 people have been evacuated, while over 75,000 in Spain have fled and another 30,000 remain under shelter orders.

Fire has reached popular tourist destination
Local impact

French firefighters are racing against time to stop the flames from reaching Bordeaux's regional capital.

The fire has already reached the popular Atlantic coast tourist destination of the Cap Ferret peninsula and spread into the surrounding countryside.

Bordeaux Mayor Thomas Cazenave said, "The main firefront was positioned approximately 15km (14.48km) from the city's primary entry points."

He said he is bracing for "all eventualities," as one of multiple wildfires burning in France is now 15km from the southwestern city.

Spain declared a national emergency 
Official warning

In Spain, a fast-moving wildfire in Andalusia region killed 12 people on July 10. By July 20, the flames had extended hundreds of kilometers to Madrid itself.

On July 24, Spain declared a national emergency after two big fires were "out of control."

The Spanish meteorological agency Aemet has now issued a fresh warning, saying the heatwave set to begin on Wednesday would be "long" and "last, at least, until Sunday," with "the risk of fire rising to extreme levels."

International support mobilized to assist firefighting efforts
Cross-border assistance

International support is now being mobilized under the European Union's civil protection mechanism.

Greece and Italy have sent Canadair firefighting aircraft to Spain, while Portugal has dispatched over 100 military personnel with specialized equipment.

Spain's interior ministry announced two additional Turkish aircraft would arrive soon.

Prime Minister Sanchez announced a civil protection emergency for affected central provinces, releasing recovery funds to assist communities impacted by the fires.

Climate change driving up temperatures around the world 
Environmental impact

Wildfires are also burning in other French areas, such as Var and Landes, as well as Haute-Corse on the island of Corsica.

Climate change is raising global temperatures, with Europe warming twice as quickly as the global average, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.

This is resulting in longer summer heatwaves, increasing demand on Europe's water supply, and more severe wildfires.