BRUSSELS, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Europe is struggling to contain devastating wildfires as a new heatwave approaches. Experts warn that soaring temperatures this week could make it harder to fight the fires.
French President Emmanuel Macron described the blazes in the country's southwest as France's "most difficult situation" since World War II, while Spain declared its first-ever national emergency over a wildfire.
Over 300,000 people have been evacuated so far this season as historic wildfires ravage France and Spain, the European Commission said Monday.
FRANCE: GIRONDE UNDER SIEGE
About 115,000 hectares of land have been burned by wildfires across France so far in 2026, setting a historical record for the country, French authorities said Sunday.
Speaking at a press briefing, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said Saturday that several blazes remain uncontained across the country, notably in the departments of Gironde, Landes, and Var.
Spreading with terrifying speed, the blaze has torn through more than 162 square miles (420 square km) of forests and fields in less than four days -- an area roughly four times the size of Paris. The blaze is now a mere 15 km south of Bordeaux as flames creep ever closer to the wine capital.
The ongoing emergency has led to large-scale evacuations in southwestern France. More than 250,000 people have been evacuated this summer, with 220,000 of them in the southwestern region of Gironde.
A massive mobilization is underway in the Gironde region to combat the inferno. According to the BBC, rescue efforts involve 2,500 firefighters, 1,500 military personnel and 1,200 police and gendarmes. These combined forces are managing large-scale evacuations and securing fire-ravaged zones.
Meanwhile, under the European Union (EU) Civil Protection Mechanism, seven planes and four helicopters from the Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden and Türkiye have been deployed to France.
Further hampering rescue efforts is a "fire cloud" phenomenon, or pyrocumulonimbus, never seen in France before. Triggered by intense heat, these thunderstorms generate lightning and erratic winds that fan the flames without bringing rain. Local officials confirmed that such clouds sparked multiple fresh blazes in the Gironde region over the weekend, further straining emergency services.
The giant Gironde fire slowed down Monday, bringing a bit of hope. Visiting the front lines, Macron encouraged crews to "stay strong," but warned that "the weeks ahead will be hard. We must hold firm."
SPAIN: HISTORIC NATIONAL EMERGENCY
Across the border, Spain is enduring one of its most destructive wildfire seasons in recent years. Official data from Spain's Ministry for the Ecological Transition show that as of July 24, wildfires have decimated over 172,000 hectares nationwide -- six times the area burned during the same period in 2025.
The fires have ravaged thousands of hectares across Spain, with the government declaring a national emergency.
The Madrid region, Avila and Toledo have been the hardest-hit areas, with nearly 100,000 people evacuated or ordered to remain indoors across 46 municipalities, according to the latest official figures. The Avila blaze has evolved into Spain's most extensive wildfire on record, burning approximately 50,000 hectares, roughly five times the area of Barcelona.
Thousands of firefighters, soldiers, police officers and civil protection personnel have been deployed across the affected areas. The Military Emergency Unit continues to play a central role in protecting communities and critical infrastructure while supporting regional firefighting teams.
Spain has also activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, under which Greece, Italy, and Türkiye each deployed two firefighting aircraft. Meanwhile, Portugal sent 134 firefighters and emergency personnel, along with 41 vehicles, including fire engines, command vehicles, bulldozers and ambulances, to reinforce firefighting efforts.
As temperatures in central and southern Spain are expected to hit 40 degrees Celsius in the coming days, the State Meteorological Agency warned that the risk of wildfires would surge to very high or extreme levels across almost the entire country. Consequently, Monday and Tuesday were "absolutely crucial days" for firefighting efforts, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said Monday.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned these wildfires were not "a succession of isolated events," but "the most painful expression of a climate emergency." ■
