France and Spain battle vast wildfires as fresh heatwave approaches

Firefighters are continuing to battle huge forest fires across France and Spain on Monday, as authorities warned that another heatwave could bring temperatures of up to 40C to the already scorched wine-growing region around Bordeaux. Issued on: 27/07/2026 - 08:36 2 min Reading time More than 325,000 people have fled their homes in the two countries, with some of the worst fires in their recent history burning across south-west France and central and eastern Spain. French President Emmanuel Macron is due to hold a crisis cabinet meeting on Monday morning. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez prepared to visit fire-hit areas in Valencia, where a new blaze has forced 15,000 people to evacuate. During a visit to Avila province, west of Madrid, on Sunday, Sanchez warned that “difficult hours lie ahead”. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said the fires were continuing to advance, although more slowly. Civil protection chief Virginia Barcones described the vast blaze around Avila as a “monster”, with a perimeter of 280 kilometres covering 77,000 hectares. In a post on social media platform X, Pope Leo XIV called for prayers for those affected and rescuers "in the face of the devastating fires that have struck several localities in France and Spain in recent days". To display this content from X (Twitter), you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Wildfire sees 12,000 residents and tourists evacuated in south-west France Fire creates its own weather In France, the Gironde fire has generated an unprecedented pyrocumulonimbus – a vast cloud formed by intense heat that can create powerful winds, lightning and further fires, according to the National Firefighters Federation. “It’s a David-versus-Goliath scenario,” federation spokesman Eric Brocardi said. “At some point, we’ll find a weak spot and strike there.” The fire has burnt through 42,000 hectares in Gironde since Wednesday – an area around seven times the size of Manhattan – and destroyed at least 240 homes. Some 220,000 people have been evacuated in the region, while 45 campsites have closed, disrupting the holidays of around 40,000 people. Holiday camps and overnight Scout trips have also been suspended. Gironde’s prefect urged tourists to choose other destinations as emergency crews struggled with constantly shifting winds. “The wind is changing so much, it’s really the fire calling the shots,” one firefighter said. Wildfire situation in France ‘remains very unfavourable’, interior minister says Spain counts heavy losses In Spain, around 75,000 residents have been evacuated from areas including Madrid, Avila, Toledo, Castellon and Valencia. King Felipe VI, visiting an emergency shelter in Villamanta, said the fires had caused “incalculable” damage to Spain’s natural heritage. Winds were pushing fires near Madrid southwards and away from the capital, although villages in their path continued to be evacuated. In Valencia, officials described the latest blaze as “very intense”. One civilian has died in a smaller fire near Valencia, while two firefighters were killed near Bordeaux. At least 84 French firefighters have been injured since Wednesday. Scientists say climate change is making extreme heat and wildfires more frequent and intense. The latest blazes have been fuelled by forests left dangerously dry after successive heatwaves and months of limited rainfall. Italy was also fighting wildfires, with more than 400 tourists and beachgoers evacuated by sea near Peschici in the southern Puglia region. (with newswires)