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Wildfires fueled by hot, dry conditions and shifting winds forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes across France and Spain on Sunday. Meanwhile, governments mobilized military resources, expanded emergency operations and warned that difficult conditions could persist.
In southwest France, a massive wildfire in the Gironde region near Bordeaux forced the evacuation of an additional 55,000 people overnight, bringing the total number displaced during the crisis to about 220,000. Authorities said the blaze had burned roughly 104,000 acres, making it one of the country’s most significant fire emergencies in recent years.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the situation as “highly unfavorable” after what he called another difficult night for firefighters. The fire became “extremely virulent and unpredictable,” generating its own winds and advancing erratically toward the Bordeaux metropolitan area before calming somewhat by morning, he said.
More than 2,500 firefighters, supported by 1,500 military personnel, nearly 1,200 police, and aerial firefighting assets including a military A400M transport aircraft, were deployed to contain the blaze. Additional fires were also burning in the Landes, Var, Corsica and Hautes-Alpes regions, prompting further evacuations and stretching emergency resources across the country.
The severity of the wildfire crisis led French authorities to reassign some security personnel to firefighting duties and shorten the final stage of the Tour de France, underscoring the growing strain on emergency services.
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Smoke and flames rise during a wildfire in San Martin de Valdeiglesias, Community of Madrid, Spain, July 26, 2026. REUTERS/Ana Beltran -
A plane flies, as smoke rises from a wildfire, in La Vilavella, Castellon, Spain, July 26, 2026. REUTERS/Eva Manez -
Members of the Military Emergencies Unit (UME) refresh the area after putting out a fire in San Martin de Valdeiglesias, Madrid, Spain July 26, 2026. REUTERS/Ana Beltran -
A gendarme covers a small hot spot with soil to prevent any risk of reignition during a patrol, as wildfires rage across the Gironde region amid worsening drought conditions following a heatwave and water shortages across much of the country, in Le Porge, France, July 26, 2026. REUTERS/Manon Cruz -
People watch a wildfire from atop a vehicle, amid worsening drought conditions following a heatwave and water shortages across much of the country, in Marcheprime, France, July 26, 2026. REUTERS/Florion Goga -
Firefighters try to control a wildfire near Marcheprime, amid worsening drought conditions following a heatwave and water shortages across much of France, July 26, 2026. REUTERS/Florion Goga
In neighboring Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the wildfire-affected province of Ávila, where he met emergency officials at an advanced command center and reviewed firefighting operations. Accompanied by regional and national authorities, Sánchez praised emergency personnel and highlighted cooperation among Spain’s communities and neighboring Portugal.
Speaking to reporters, Sánchez said the Spanish government would approve a royal decree Tuesday declaring fire-affected areas to be zones “seriously affected by civil protection emergencies,” a designation that could facilitate recovery and reconstruction efforts.
“The priority is saving lives and protecting populated areas,” Sánchez said, warning that challenging conditions remained ahead despite signs of progress in some firefighting operations.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said the evolution of the fires was “positive, but slow” as emergency officials continued coordinating a nationwide response under emergency conditions.
Sánchez said more than 370,000 acres had burned in Spain this summer, noting that the total had risen sharply within a 24-hour period. He said 32 major fires had been recorded so far this year and renewed his call for a broad national agreement to address what he described as a climate emergency.
“We must reach a great State Pact in the face of the Climate Emergency,” Sánchez wrote on social media, calling for cooperation on prevention, emergency response and reconstruction.
The wildfires prompted expressions of concern beyond the affected countries. During his Sunday Angelus prayer, Pope Leo XIV offered solidarity with victims in France and Spain and called for prayers for those affected as well as for rescue workers battling the fires.
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