Nearly 3,00,000 evacuated as wildfires advance toward Bordeaux in France and devastate central Spain
Bordeaux : Uncontrolled wildfires advanced toward the outer edge of Bordeaux on Sunday, pushing into the heart of France’s winemaking region as emergency crews across France and Spain struggled to contain blazes that have forced roughly 3,00,000 people to flee from their homes.
According to France 24, authorities reported that roughly 220,000 people have been evacuated across France. In neighbouring Spain, over 75,000 residents have been forced to flee, while another 30,000 have been instructed to shelter in place.
France 24 reported that French firefighters are working to prevent the flames from breaching Bordeaux’s regional capital after blazes swept through the popular Atlantic coast tourist destination of the Cap Ferret peninsula and spread through the surrounding countryside.
Bordeaux Mayor Thomas Cazenave noted that the main firefront was positioned approximately 15 kilometres (9 miles) from the city’s primary entry points. While earlier stating there were no immediate plans to evacuate the city–whose broader metropolitan area holds a population of roughly 850,000, Cazenave acknowledged the proximity of the threat.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez on Sunday underscored the severity of the crisis. “We have a fire that is not under control and which is moving in the direction of the city area,” Nunez stated, adding, “The overall situation is very unfavourable, we are in a situation that is unprecedented,” Nunez affirmed that officials would continue to monitor and evaluate the situation realistically.
As the firefront pressed closer, French authorities released footage showing police officers conducting door-to-door overnight evacuations in the municipalities of Marcheprime and Cestas, knocking on doors in the dark to urge families to evacuate immediately, France 24 reported.
Cross-border efforts are also intensifying in Spain, where Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited fire-ravaged areas in Avila, one of three central provinces, alongside Madrid and Toledo, confronting major blazes. According to Spanish Environment Minister Sara Aagesen, flames have destroyed more than 50,000 hectares (123,500 acres) of land in Avila alone, marking it as the largest wildfire in Spain’s recent history.
France 24 further reported on a separate, uncontained blaze in eastern Spain’s Castellon province that has burned over 4,300 hectares and spread into the Sierra de Espadan natural park, threatening extensive pine and cork oak forests.
“The fire is out of control, it’s very difficult to extinguish from a technical standpoint, especially because of the adverse weather conditions that will continue throughout the day,” Valencian regional leader Juanfran Perez told reporters near the scene.
International support is mobilising under the European Union’s civil protection mechanism. Greece and Italy have each dispatched two Canadair firefighting aircraft to Spain, while Portugal has deployed over 100 military personnel alongside specialised equipment.
Spain’s interior ministry announced on social media platform X that two additional aircraft from Turkey are expected to arrive as soon as possible. Prime Minister Sanchez announced that his government will officially declare a civil protection emergency on Tuesday for the impacted central provinces, releasing recovery funds to assist affected communities.
Sanchez revealed that more than 150,000 hectares have been destroyed across Spain since January, a figure six times higher than the total area burned during the same timeframe last year, according to France 24. (news agency) SportsNews Feed
