Wildfires Force Mass Evacuations in France and Spain

A fierce wildfire in southwest France has led to the evacuation of 55,000 individuals overnight on Sunday. This brings the total number of evacuees to 220,000 in a single region as the fire edges closer to Bordeaux, a well-known wine region city. At the same time, Spain is handling its own fire evacuations on the east coast.

Shifting winds and dry conditions have complicated efforts to control the vast blaze in France’s Gironde region. Authorities have issued evacuation orders for five additional localities near Bordeaux. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described the situation as “very unfavorable” following another tough night for fire crews. “The fire became extremely virulent and unpredictable,” Nunez shared on social media. The minister remarked that conditions calmed by the night’s end.

Pope Leo XIV called for prayers for people impacted by the fires. He expressed solidarity during his Sunday Angelus prayer, emphasizing support for those affected and acknowledging rescue workers’ efforts.

An estimated 42,000 hectares, mostly forests and scrubland, have been affected in Gironde. This area is seven times larger than Manhattan and four times Paris’s size. Firefighters, utilizing trucks, water-dropping planes, and retardants, raced to contain flare-ups. Local farmers helped by delivering water to fire crews.

The number of firefighters mobilized in Gironde increased to 2,500, with support from planes and helicopters from other European nations. Soldiers have also been called in. A military aircraft dropped retardants to help extinguish the fire. At least 75 firefighters have sustained injuries, and hundreds of homes have been destroyed.

The blaze has created its own firestorms, a first for France. These developments include self-generating winds and even lightning, authorities reported. “It’s like being confronted by a hurricane,” said Marc Vermeulen, a fire chief in Gironde.

Forecasted high temperatures may complicate firefighting efforts, stated Sophie Brocas, Gironde’s prefect. Residents must wait for the blaze to be controlled before returning home. She recommended tourists avoid the region due to popular attractions and vast woodlands.

Bordeaux Mayor Thomas Cazenave said the blaze is approaching, but evacuation plans for the city are not immediate. Bordeaux, home to 268,000 people, has prepared an exhibition center as an emergency shelter for evacuees, including elderly individuals displaced from care homes. Another fire in the Landes region has displaced 36,000 people, pushing the total evacuation number in southwest France to over 250,000.

Further south, fire crews are tackling another blaze in the Var region on the Mediterranean, impacting almost 3,000 people. Spain also grapples with out-of-control wildfires near Madrid and evacuations in Valencia.

Spain reported its first death in the current fires, as a man died during a blaze in Manises, a Valencia suburb. “We still have some difficult hours ahead,” said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, referencing the ongoing situation.

In Spain, a total of 76,000 people have been evacuated, with another 30,000 confined to their homes. Evacuees are anxious about the condition of their homes upon return. Rocío Domínguez, evacuated from Chapinería, shared her concerns, “It looked like the apocalypse… all covered in ash.”

Leicester reported from Paris, with contributions from AP journalists Jeffrey Schaeffer, Teresa Medrano, Alicia León, and Maria Murru.

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