Authorities in France have ordered the evacuation of thousands of residents from suburbs near Bordeaux as persistent wildfires show no sign of abating. The areas of Le Haillan, Eysines, and Merignac were among those being cleared on Saturday, according to Sophie Brocas, who heads the local administration for La Nouvelle-Aquitaine et de la Gironde.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu stated that over 141,000 people have been evacuated from the Gironde and Landes regions since the fires began this week. He described the current situation as unprecedented, noting that the fires have reached a level never before witnessed in France. The French army has been deployed to assist with the firefighting efforts.
Meanwhile, Spain's government declared a national emergency on Thursday evening as wildfires threatened areas close to the capital and in the neighbouring province of Ávila. This declaration, which allows central government to assume control over powers typically held by Spain's self-governing regions, has only been invoked once before during a countrywide blackout in April 2025. Over 63,000 people have been evacuated or confined due to the blazes.
Madrid's regional government requested urgent assistance, describing the situation as one of 'extreme gravity'. Carlos Novillo, Madrid's regional environment minister, highlighted that at least four active fires could advance beyond current extinguishing capabilities, reaching a 'critical moment' where protection of human life is the immediate priority. Two large fires outside Madrid have already merged, with a third on the verge of joining them.
French President Emmanuel Macron has activated the EU's civil protection mechanism in response to the widespread fires, which follow three almost consecutive heatwaves since May. This initiative will see reinforcements, including two Croatian aircraft, two Portuguese planes, and two heavy helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, deployed to aid French efforts. France's interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, confirmed that 32 wildfires are currently burning, having already scorched 50,000 hectares this year – almost four times the area affected by this date last year.