Extreme weather conditions have triggered a mass evacuation of residents in France and Spain, where wildfires are spreading uncontrollably. In total, more than 220,000 people have been forced to leave their homes to escape the danger of flames engulfing south-western Europe.
In France, nearly 60,000 people have been evacuated near Bordeaux, while around 200,000 residents have been moved from the Gironde and Landes regions. French President Emmanuel Macron has responded by mobilising the army to assist firefighters in tackling the blaze advancing towards the major city.
In Spain, the government has declared a national emergency due to the intensity of the fires. Evacuation orders have been issued for 25,000 people, while an additional 40,000 individuals have been instructed to remain indoors for their own safety.
A fire near Madrid has merged into a single large blaze after three fires west of the capital joined together. Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso described the situation as the worst fire in the region's history, causing a "perfect storm" of high temperatures, relentless wind and the merging of fire fronts.
Local emergency services reported that the fires are moving towards the municipalities of Robledo de Chavela and Fresnedillas de la Oliva, located approximately 50 kilometres from the capital. Carlos Novillo, head of emergency management for the Madrid regional government, stated that the fire is at its peak and is currently beyond the capacity of firefighters to bring under control.
Novillo emphasised that it is not possible to directly attack the fire in that area, so only defensive measures are being taken to prevent the fire from spreading further into populated areas.
