President Emmanuel Macron convened a crisis meeting of the French cabinet to coordinate efforts against large-scale forest fires ravaging the southwest of the country. Firefighters are working to prevent the flames from reaching the historic city of Bordeaux. The forecast of a new heatwave in France later this week has heightened the urgency of Monday’s meeting.
Firefighters battled the blaze throughout the night. The provincial authorities of Gironde, a wine-making region that includes Bordeaux, reported that the situation remains “generally under control.” Bordeaux Mayor Thomas Cazeneuve stated on Sunday that the fire was “still approaching the city.” At its closest point, the flames were 15 km (9 miles) from Bordeaux, which is home to about 850,000 residents.
Footage from the fire scenes reveals massive destruction: thick clouds of smoke obscuring the sky and large forest areas engulfed in flames. “This is a fire of a scale never seen before,” said Jerome Steff, mayor of Cestas, a suburb of Bordeaux.
Consequences of Massive Fires in France and Spain
Forest fires in France and Spain have caused significant destruction, disrupted daily life, and forced more than 300,000 people to evacuate their homes. The fires have spread across the region amid record heat in Europe. Scientists warn that extreme temperatures are drying out the continent. This summer, Europe has already experienced three heatwaves that have contributed to the spread of forest fires, with several countries setting new temperature records.
In Spain, more than 75,000 people have been evacuated. Some of the largest fire hotspots have approached Madrid, but their advance has “slowed,” according to the regional government. “It looked like the apocalypse,” said 35-year-old Rocio Dominguez, who fled her home in Chapinería, west of Madrid, with her two dogs. “Nothing was visible. Everything was covered in ash.” Authorities announced they would begin allowing some evacuees near Madrid to return to their homes.
Source: Al Jazeera
