France Evacuates 40,000 as Massive Wildfires Rage, Spain Declares National Emergency

Thousands of residents and holidaymakers have been forced to flee as devastating wildfires continue to tear through parts of France and Spain, prompting mass evacuations, destroying homes and stretching emergency services to their limits.

French authorities have ordered the complete evacuation of the Cap Ferret peninsula on the country’s south-west coast after an intense wildfire spread rapidly across the Gironde region. Around 40,000 people have either been evacuated or are in the process of leaving the popular tourist destination, with hundreds escaping by boat across the Bay of Arcachon while others departed by road.

The fires, which erupted on Tuesday, have already scorched about 10,000 hectares (nearly 25,000 acres) of land. Local prefect Sophie Brocas described the disaster as an “XXL fire,” revealing that at least 53 homes and a campsite have been destroyed, although firefighters successfully protected around 2,000 houses from the advancing flames.

Fire and rescue officials said the blaze intensified dramatically overnight, spreading at speeds of 800 to 1,000 hectares per hour under severe drought conditions and strong winds. The worsening situation forced authorities to extend evacuation orders to nearby communities, including the town of Arès.

Further south, another major wildfire in the Landes region has displaced more than 23,000 people from Biscarrosse and Parentis-en-Born. Officials said at least 105 homes and other buildings have been partially or completely destroyed, while high temperatures of up to 37°C and strong winds continue to hamper firefighting operations.

The European Union has deployed emergency support to assist the response, sending three firefighting aircraft and two helicopters to France, along with four aircraft to Spain, where multiple wildfires have also triggered a national emergency.

Spain’s Interior Ministry declared the emergency after fires spread rapidly around Madrid and Ávila, forcing the evacuation of more than 19,000 residents from several communities west of the capital. Authorities confirmed that two major fires near Madrid merged on Friday, worsening the crisis.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the situation as “dramatic,” while Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso called it “the worst fire in the history of the region.” Officials estimate that 9,000 hectares have burned in Ávila and another 3,000 hectares in the Madrid region.

Scientists have repeatedly warned that Europe is becoming increasingly vulnerable to extreme wildfires as rising temperatures, prolonged droughts and dry vegetation create ideal conditions for fires to spread rapidly. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service says Europe is the fastest-warming continent, with temperatures rising at more than twice the global average since the 1980s.