Southern Europe ablaze: France, Spain, Portugal battle wildfires, tens of thousands of acres burned

Southern Europe is grappling with extensive wildfires, particularly in France, where a significant blaze continues to rage. Meanwhile, fires in Spain and Portugal have been brought under control, though not before scorching tens of thousands of acres.

The early onset of the fire season is largely attributed to a combination of prolonged drought conditions and a new heatwave sweeping across the region. In France's Pyrénées-Orientales department, over 13,500 acres have already burned in a fire that ignited near a difficult-to-access mountainous area close to Mount Canigou. Firefighters are facing increasingly challenging conditions due to strengthening northwesterly winds and intense heat.

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The conditions are becoming increasingly difficult due to the northwesterly wind, which is strengthening, and the intense heat prevailing. The fire is intensifying, we must continue the fight.

In Marseille, a large fire erupted Sunday morning in the Old Port, sending a massive column of black smoke over the city. The blaze started on a docked vessel and spread to a second adjacent yacht, both of which eventually sank. Nine people were injured, including six on board the boats, two police officers, and a port security worker. Firefighters brought the situation under control, but authorities have not ruled out an increase in the casualty count due to the thick toxic smoke. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and maritime traffic was temporarily suspended.

Residents have been forced to evacuate their homes. One 30-year-old woman described seeing smoke around 10:30 p.m. and being told to leave by authorities around 1 a.m. She recounted the presence of numerous fire trucks and the overwhelming smell of burning.

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We started seeing smoke around 10:30 p.m. local time, then it spread more and more. Someone from the municipal authority knocked on our door around 1 a.m. to tell us to leave. There were fire trucks everywhere, the smell of burning overwhelmed us.