Tens of thousands flee fires in France, blazes merge outside Madrid
More than 220,000 people have been displaced as crews battle fast-moving blazes fueled by extreme heat and wind, officials said.
- Huge forest fires across southwestern France and central Spain have displaced more than 220,000 people, prompting the French military to assist and the Spanish government to declare a national emergency.
- Residents and tourists fled early Friday as authorities in Lege-Cap-Ferret issued emergency evacuation alerts due to fires fueled by intense heat and drought conditions.
- Londoner Zac Morrison and other tourists evacuated the peninsula 40 miles south-west of Bordeaux with only 15 minutes of notice, as flames reached six stories high.
- France's minister for international partnerships Éléonore Caroit described the fires as a "tragedy" on Saturday while urging tourists not to cancel travel plans, noting many areas remain unaffected.
- Madrid's regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso termed the local blaze the "worst fire in the history of the region," with the area facing a "perfect storm" of high temperatures and relentless wind.
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276 Articles
In recent months, more nature has burned down in the European Union than in the same period of the record year 2025. This is evident from an analysis by the ANP based on weekly figures from the climate service Copernicus.
Europe’s wildfires surge 57% as France and Spain call in EU help
Fresh data from the World Health Organization reveals that wildfires in Europe are up 57 percent since 2022, as France and Spain have invoked the EU solidarity mechanism to get assistance for deadly wildfires. Research last week (24 July) reported that 2.2 million European hectares were destroyed by wildfires in 2025, up from 1.4 million hectares in 2022, a 57 percent increase in three years. This increase isn’t entirely caused by the sudden sur…
In Photos: Wildfires Rage Across Spain And France As Europe Battles Extreme Heat
Explore powerful photos of wildfires in Spain and France as Europe battles extreme heat, with images of blazing forests, evacuations, firefighting efforts, and the devastation left behind.
Chancellor Félix Plasencia conveys the support of the Venezuelan people in the face of the emergency that forced the evacuation of 250,000 people in communities such as Madrid, Ávila and the French region of Gironda.
Madrid authorities called it “the worst in history” in their region, the European Union sent rescue aid
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