The spread of wildfires in France and Spain, which have dangerously approached the cities of Bordeaux and Madrid, appears to be slowing, according to authorities. However, both countries are preparing for another exhausting heatwave this week that could exacerbate existing fires and ignite new ones.
The fourth heatwave of 2026 in France is expected to begin on Tuesday, with temperatures forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the coming days. When the heat arrives in Spain on Wednesday, temperatures there are expected to be even higher.
Large-scale evacuations and bans in France
On Tuesday, nearly 4,000 people were evacuated from tourist sites in the Lacanau area of the Gironde region in southwestern France, bringing the total number of evacuees in Gironde to over a quarter of a million. This wine-growing region, which includes the historic city of Bordeaux, is the most affected by wildfires in France.
“We are at a point of fragility,” said Eric Brocardi, spokesman for the National Federation of Firefighters of France, during an interview on BFMTV on Tuesday. He added that firefighters “will continue to fight this fire despite the forecasted temperature increase.” Images published by the French newspaper Le Figaro showed ash on the beach in Lacanau. Sophie Broca, prefect of Gironde, has banned all sports and cultural events until August 8.
Progress in fighting fires in Spain amid new threats
In Spain, 116,000 people have been forced to evacuate since the fires began, although some have already been able to return home. In the central province of Toledo, residents from nine of the eleven evacuated towns were allowed to return on Tuesday.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated that people “can feel a little more at ease” following overnight progress in combating numerous fires across the country, which are primarily concentrated in central Spain. Firefighters are also battling blazes in the neighboring provinces of Avila and Toledo. Approximately 800 square kilometers (310 square miles) of land have burned. One evacuee from eastern Spain told Reuters that he witnessed “complete chaos.”
Source: Al Jazeera
