Tens of thousands evacuated as wildfires hit Spain and southern France
Massive wildfires in France and Spain have forced the evacuation of approximately 92,000 people as flames spread across coastal and inland regions. Firefighters are struggling to contain the blazes, which have caused injuries and significant property damage.
Why it matters
The scale of these evacuations underscores the increasing threat of extreme weather events and wildfires to European communities and tourism.
Large forest fires are burning out of control in south-western France and central Spain, prompting authorities to evacuate an estimated 92,000 people from their homes.
Some even fled by boat when flames swept through the Cap Ferret peninsula on France's Atlantic coast, which is popular with tourists.
Dozens of firefighters have been injured, authorities said.
Some 50 square miles have been consumed by the blaze that has raged since Wednesday near Cap Ferret.
Wildfires also broke out in France's Le Proge region (Caroline Blumberg/AP)
Located just 37 miles from Bordeaux, the peninsula normally offers stunning landscapes and sandy beaches as well as oyster-farming villages and upmarket resorts.
About 67,000 residents in France escaped a larger area as authorities ordered additional evacuations further south after a separate wildfire broke out.
Both France and Spain have asked fellow European Union members for help.
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