More than 250,000 evacuated as wildfires rage in France and Spain
Wildfires in France and Spain have forced over 300,000 people to evacuate as extreme weather conditions hamper containment efforts. Authorities are struggling with erratic fire behavior and high temperatures, leading to significant property damage and at least one fatality.
Why it matters
The scale of these wildfires highlights the increasing threat of climate-driven natural disasters to European infrastructure and public safety.
Image source, EPA Image caption, Firefighters battle flames in Lège-Cap-Ferret, south-western France
Firefighters are struggling to contain wildfires in south-west France as strong winds push flames towards the city of Bordeaux, with one official saying they "are far from having the fire under control."
More than 300,000 people in France and Spain have fled fires which have been raging for days, as winds and high temperatures hamper efforts to contain them.
In Spain, where a state of emergency has been declared, a change in weather conditions has helped firefighters outside Madrid.
Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez admitted there were "complex times ahead". Meanwhile, authorities in València confirmed the death of a man in a fire.
The man, believed to be in his 70s, was found dead in his car by firefighters as they extinguished a fire in the Salt de l'Aigua ravine in Manises, according to local media reports.
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