France preparing to evacuate entire tourist city as ‘erratic’ fire ‘whirlwinds’ wreak havoc & firefighers ‘overwhelmed’

FRANCE is preparing to evacuate an entire city as “erratic” fire whirlwinds push flames towards its nearly one million residents. Two major wildfires have broken out on Bordeaux‘s western flank, which “overwhelmed” firefighters are “far from having under control”. Fire crews are fighting an ‘erratic’ fire that is being spread by whirlwinds Credit: Reuters Two major forest fires are gripping southwestern France Credit: EPA Firefighters are said to be ‘overwhelmed’ by the chaotic blazes Credit: Reuters More than 300,000 people in France and Spain have been forced to flee their homes as fires stoked by arid, tinder-box conditions and strong winds continue to rage. It has led the Bordeaux Council to consider a total evacuation as acrid smoke looms over the city. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! A spokesperson told Sky News that it is “currently studying scenarios for all possible ways the fire could evolve”. Air quality and atmospheric pollution are a major concern in the popular tourist destination, famed for its wine quality. Read more on the wildfires The military has been called in to assist with the response Credit: Reuters More than 300,000 residents in France and Spain have fled their homes Credit: Reuters Firefighters battling the encroaching blaze in the Gironde area are said to be “overwhelmed” as concerns grow about Bordeaux. Sebastien Berge, head of the Gironde firefighters union, said: “When there’s a fire of this magnitude, it creates its own weather pattern…it’s difficult to monitor. Have you been caught up in wildfires in France, Spain or elsewhere in Europe? Email joseph.mannion@the-sun.co.uk or WhatsApp 07353 096414 to share your story “Especially when there’s a fire front that stretches for more than 20km (12.5 miles). Most read in The Sun “When you see how far it’s spreading, I think we can now be concerned about the city of Bordeaux.” Firefighters have struggled to control a series of major fires across southern Europe this summer Credit: AFP via Getty Images Tourists have been forced to flee a popular upmarket area of France Credit: AFP Le Barp, a municipality less than 20 miles from Bordeaux, has been ordered to evacuate immediately via the south – in the opposite direction to the city. Thousands of evacuees in the area have already been forced to bed down in an exhibition hall as they face an anxious wait over the state of their homes. Residents and tourists were forced to flee the holiday hotspot Cap Ferret in their droves on Friday as the blaze took hold. The French military has even been deployed to help with the response. Reinforcements are also being sent in to help firefighters clear brush and create fire breaks – land that is cleared of fuel such as plants and wood. Meanwhile in Spain, where a national emergency has been declared, favourable weather conditions have helped firefighters in their fight against merging fires outside Madrid. But Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez conceded there were “complex times ahead”. A man, believed to be in his 70s, was found dead in his car by firefighters as they extinguished a blaze in Valencia. The fire near the Salt de l’Aigua ravine raged throughout Saturday but has been brought under control. But three huge fires have merged to the west of the Spanish capital, where around 77,000 people have been evacuated and another 28,000 locked down in their homes. The major fire near Madrid was described yesterday as being “at its peak” and “beyond the capacity” of firefighters to control. The city’s emergency management chief Carlos Novillo told the BBC: “It is not possible to attack the fire in that area, so defensive measures are being taken.” Madrid president Isabel Díaz Ayusohas said the inferno was “the worst fire in the history of the region”. Díaz Ayusohas called the situation “catastrophic”, as residents in the capital were warned to stay inside their home and avoid going out unless absolutely necessary. Dramatic footage showed police kicking down doors to rescue residents before the blaze consumed their homes. It comes after Brit tourists near Bordeaux airport were forced to evacuate their hotels in the middle of the night. Holidaymakers staying at a Holiday Inn were woken up at 3.30am and told that approaching smoke was forcing the hotel to close. Nicola Smith, 49, told the Daily Mail: “We were all fast asleep when a member of hotel staff knocked on the door about 3.30am and said that we were having to evacuate. “It was a shock to the system and quite dramatic but I’d been getting alerts on my phone all night by the local French authorities warning about other areas nearby being evacuated.” Her husband Martin, 55, added: “It’s not great to be honest but what can you do? “Apparently everywhere is being evacuated because of all the smoke drifting across to Bordeaux from the fire. “I must admit you could really smell the smoke when we first arrived, there was a kind of haze in the air.” Comment now