The worst wave of wildfires to hit southwestern Europe since World War II continues to rage across the region. The disaster has forced authorities in France and Spain to evacuate more than 325,000 residents from their homes as the fast-spreading fires become increasingly difficult to control.
As reported by Al Jazeera on Monday, July 27, 2026, official data show that approximately 220,000 people have been evacuated in France, primarily from the Cap Ferret Peninsula and the outskirts of Bordeaux.
Meanwhile, in Spain, around 75,000 residents have been forced to evacuate, while another 30,000 people have been instructed to remain indoors after the government declared a national state of emergency.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez revealed that more than 115,000 hectares of land have been destroyed by wildfires across France this year.
At the same time, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez confirmed that the area devastated by wildfires in Spain has exceeded 150,000 hectares—a sixfold increase compared with the same period last year.
Extreme Weather
Firefighting efforts have faced extraordinary operational challenges due to extreme weather conditions and the emergence of pyrocumulonimbus clouds.
These storm clouds, generated by the intense heat of large wildfires, are capable of producing dry lightning without rainfall, accelerating the spread of new fires to multiple locations.
A spokesperson for the French National Federation of Firefighters (FNSPF) said conditions on the ground had reached the point of “operational impossibility.”
Firefighters have been forced to adopt defensive tactics and carry out strategic withdrawals to protect lives.
“Lightning forms within the clouds, strikes burning embers on the ground, and further fuels the fires. The situation has become defensive—like a war zone where we are constantly exposed to danger while trying to save everyone,” the FNSPF representative said.
The fires have advanced to within approximately 15 kilometers of the city of Bordeaux.
The disaster has also disrupted the international Tour de France, with the final stage in Paris being shortened to allow security personnel to be redeployed to the wildfire emergency.
As the destruction continues to spread, France and Spain have formally requested international assistance.
Through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, Greece and Italy have dispatched firefighting aircraft, while Portugal has deployed more than 100 military personnel to assist in the emergency response.***
