Europe wildfires: 200,000 evacuated in Spain and France

Wildfires in Western Europe force 200,000 people to evacuate

Massive out-of-control wildfires in Spain and France have forced nearly 200,000 people to evacuate their homes and holiday areas. French Prime Minister Lecornu said the fires ravaging his country had reached 'an unprecedented level.'

Scraper SystemJuly 25, 2026, 11:34 AM

Wildfires in Western Europe force 200,000 people to evacuate

Severe wildfires sweeping across western Europe in Spain and France have forced the mandatory evacuation of around 200,000 people. Officials in both countries reported that they were struggling to bring the blazes under control due to erratic winds and drought conditions.

Spanish capital Madrid under threat

In Spain, firefighters battling a wildfire raging near the capital Madrid on Saturday are trying to prevent the flames from spreading. Carlos Novillo, head of Madrid's regional emergency management, said the fire near the capital was 'at its peak and currently beyond the control capacity of firefighters.' Two separate fires merged on Friday into a massive blaze, and it was stated that the fire was close to merging with another wildfire in the neighboring region of Castilla y Leon. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is scheduled to attend an emergency planning meeting in the village of Cenicientos, at the heart of the fire zone.

France's Bordeaux region ablaze

In France, thousands more people were evacuated from the suburbs on Saturday as the fires around Bordeaux showed no signs of abating. Sophie Brocas, head of the La Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Gironde local government covering the Bordeaux area, announced that the districts of Le Haillan, Eysines and Merignac had been cleared. Around 44,000 people fled the upscale Cap Ferret peninsula south of Bordeaux, where the only road was threatened by the fire. While boats ferried hundreds of people away from the flames, more than 50 homes burned down in the area.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced that more than 141,000 people had been evacuated so far from the Gironde and Landes regions, saying the fires hitting his country had 'reached an unprecedented level.' While the French army was also called in to help, President Macron requested assistance from the European Union. According to French and Spanish officials, at least 141,000 people were evacuated in southwestern France and 25,000 in the Madrid region, including over 1,200 elderly and disabled people.

Climate change impact highlighted

The World Weather Attribution group said in a study published this week that parts of Europe have experienced at least two heatwaves since May, and that drought linked to human-caused climate change has increased the fire threat this year.

Wildfires in Western Europe force 200,000 people to evacuate