Fires rage in France and Spain as new heatwave looms

Wildfires are scorching France and Spain, with tens of thousands of hectares already destroyed. Firefighters are in a race against time as temperatures are set to soar again this week, threatening to worsen the already critical situation.

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absolutely crucial

In Spain, the Interior Minister described Monday and Tuesday as "absolutely crucial" days before the heat intensifies from Wednesday. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned of "difficult hours" ahead. One fire in the province of Ávila has become the largest ever recorded in Spain, burning approximately 50,000 hectares. Two other fires near Madrid have brought the total burned area near the capital to around 70,000 hectares. The Spanish meteorological agency forecasts the heatwave will continue until at least Sunday, with high temperatures and local southerly winds expected to hamper firefighting efforts.

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difficult hours

France is also struggling, with firefighters in a "race against time," according to spokesperson Eric Brocardi. Temperatures could reach 40°C in some regions starting Tuesday. The situation in Gironde, in the southwest, is particularly dire. The French Interior Minister called the fire "extremely intense and unpredictable," noting it generates its own winds and advances erratically toward Bordeaux. Flames have reached about 15 kilometers from the city, prompting preparations for further evacuations. The Gironde fire has consumed around 42,000 hectares, one of the largest areas destroyed in France since World War II, leading to the evacuation of approximately 220,000 people.

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extremely intense and unpredictable

President Emmanuel Macron, visiting Bordeaux, cautioned that "the next few weeks will be difficult and we must resist." French authorities are calling this year's fire season "completely exceptional." So far, over 116,000 hectares of forest and vegetation have burned in France, compared to about 70,000 hectares for the entirety of 2025. Spain's figures are even higher, with the government estimating around 172,000 hectares burned this year, six times more than the same period in 2025. Sánchez linked the scale of the fires to the climate crisis, stating they can no longer be viewed as isolated events. "This is the most painful manifestation of the climate crisis, which fuels ever stronger fires and more frequent heatwaves, making our territory increasingly vulnerable," he said.

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the next few weeks will be difficult and we must resist