France: French President Emmanuel Macron is set to chair a crisis cabinet meeting, as massive wildfires continue to spread across south-western France, threatening the city of Bordeaux and forcing large-scale evacuations.
The blaze has advanced to within approximately 15 kilometres of the city, raising concerns as another intense heatwave is expected to worsen firefighting conditions.
Bordeaux Mayor Thomas Cazenave said there are currently no plans to evacuate the city’s population of around 850,000 residents, although authorities remain on high alert. France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the situation as ‘very unfavourable,’ warning that shifting winds are causing the fire to move unpredictably toward the city.
Les fumées liées aux incendies peuvent être présentes par épisodes sur la Métropole de Bordeaux.
👉 Pour vous protéger : limitez les sorties lorsque les fumées sont importantes, évitez les activités physiques en extérieur et gardez les fenêtres fermées. pic.twitter.com/ojcq0JMHQH
— Thomas Cazenave (@T_Cazenave) July 26, 2026
President Macron pledged that France would ‘rebuild’ the affected areas and assured residents that the government would provide support for as long as necessary.
The Gironde wildfire has become one of France’s most destructive forest fires in decades, burning around 42,000 hectares in the south-west. Since the beginning of 2026, nearly 98,000 hectares of land have been scorched nationwide. More than 220,000 people have been evacuated from affected regions.
Fire officials said the blaze has generated a rare pyrocumulonimbus, a massive fire-induced thunderstorm that creates its own powerful winds and lightning, making containment extremely difficult. Eric Brocardi, spokesperson for the National Firefighters Federation of France (FNSPF), described the situation as a ‘David-versus-Goliath scenario,’ saying firefighters are unable to attack the flames directly due to the unpredictable conditions.
Weather forecasts indicate temperatures could climb to 40°C in parts of France, further complicating efforts to contain the fires. Meanwhile, neighbouring Spain is also facing one of its worst wildfire emergencies in recent years. A new blaze near the eastern city of Valencia has forced around 15,000 residents to flee their homes. Authorities warned that weather conditions are expected to deteriorate, increasing the risk of further spread.
Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said firefighters are making slow progress against the advancing flames, while Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, during a visit to the affected Ávila region, warned that difficult hours lie ahead. Fernando also renewed calls for a national agreement to address the growing climate emergency.
King Felipe VI visited an emergency shelter near Madrid and described the destruction caused by the fires as ‘incalculable.’ According to Spain’s Minister for Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, approximately 77,000 hectares have been burned, with the wildfire in the Ávila region now considered the largest in the country’s recent history.
The fires have displaced more than 90,000 people from areas surrounding Madrid and Ávila, while authorities continue evacuating villages as strong winds push the flames across dry landscapes. Across France and Spain combined, more than 330,000 people have been evacuated as Europe grapples with another severe wildfire crisis driven by extreme heat and prolonged drought.
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