In brief
President Emmanuel Macron is holding an emergency cabinet meeting to tackle the wildfire that is now a danger to the city of Bordeaux in southwestern France, with a heatwave expected to push temperatures to 40 °C. The blaze, part of a Europe‐wide surge in wildfires, has forced the evacuation of about 220,000 people in France alone, and more than 330,000 across France and Spain. French officials say the fire has evolved into a “pyrocumulonimbus” storm, making it difficult to predict its spread. Spanish firefighters are battling a separate blaze near Valencia, while the Interior Minister has warned that winds could carry flames toward Madrid, prompting further evacuations.
Emergency cabinet meeting called by Macron
President Emmanuel Macron has convened an emergency cabinet meeting on Monday to coordinate France’s response to the wildfire that is now a danger to the city of Bordeaux, just 15 km away.
Heatwave amplifies the danger
Heatwave forecasts predict temperatures of up to 40 °C in southwestern France from Tuesday, which could further fuel the blaze and hamper firefighting efforts.
Scale of the blaze and evacuations
The fire, now classified as a “pyrocumulonimbus” by the National Firefighters Federation of France, has scorched around 42,000 hectares in just the Gironde region, one of the largest forest fires in Europe since World War II. Over 220,000 people in southwestern France have been evacuated, while more than 330,000 across France and Spain have been moved from affected areas.
- France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the situation as “very unfavourable” and noted the fire’s erratic movement toward the city.
- Spanish authorities report a new blaze near Valencia, forcing 15,000 residents to flee.
- In central Spain, the fire in the Ávila region is the largest in recent history and has prompted the evacuation of 90,000 people.
Macron promised that France would “rebuild” and that the government would stay involved “as long as is needed.” Officials say that heavy rain over several days or steering the fire toward the sea would be the only ways to bring it under control.
International response and outlook
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez highlighted the “major public pact on the climate emergency,” while King Felipe VI toured emergency shelters, stressing the profound damage to natural heritage.
