Fires ease in Spain but 'firestorms' worsen France blaze

Spain's most severe wildfires are beginning to subside ahead of a new heatwave, while in France, 'firestorms' are exacerbating a massive blaze in Gironde. Fires in Madrid, Ávila, Toledo, and Castellón are showing favorable progress, though a new heatwave is expected to push temperatures up to 42 degrees Celsius in some Spanish regions. Meanwhile, France is concentrating its efforts on the Gironde mega-fire in the southwest, aiming to prevent flames from reaching Bordeaux, just 20 kilometers away. This fire, described as "unprecedented," is further complicated by the approaching heatwave. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed cautious optimism, seeing "light at the end of the tunnel," but warned that the coming days would remain "especially complex." Critical fire zones, including Madrid (28,000 hectares burned), Ávila (50,000 hectares), Toledo (2,000 hectares), and Castellón (8,500 hectares), have seen their advance contained after intense periods. This year, Spain has already seen 173,651.46 hectares burn, a nearly sixfold increase compared to the 29,817 hectares recorded in the same period of 2025. The country has also recorded 35 major wildfires, compared to only 7 during the same period last year. The temporary meteorological relief has allowed for the suspension of evacuation orders and the gradual return of thousands of residents to their homes in affected areas. To address the devastating impact of these fires, the Council of Ministers has declared over two hundred catastrophic episodes across fourteen autonomous communities as zones affected by a civil protection emergency. This declaration will trigger a broad package of direct financial aid for personal and material damages, tax benefits, and funds for infrastructure repair. In France, the situation remains critical due to the mega-fire that ignited last Wednesday in the Arcachon Bay area. It has already consumed 42,000 hectares and is now just fifteen kilometers from Bordeaux. Firefighting teams have managed to stabilize the fire, keeping the burned area at 42,000 hectares, although officials caution this does not mean the fire is not progressing.

“

inédito