European Wildfires Trigger Major Evacuations, Emergencies

Severe heatwaves across western Europe have sparked out-of-control wildfires prompting emergency declarations in France and Spain. In France, authorities ordered evacuations on the Cap Ferret peninsula and surrounding areas, with figures surpassing 60,000 across the Gironde and Landes regions as crews battled multiple blazes including near Biscarrosse. France has requested EU civil protection assistance, with water-bombing aircraft and personnel from several member states mobilized. In Spain, the Madrid region and nearby provinces were hit as the government declared a national emergency and mobilized resources from EU partners. At least several firefighters have died, and temperatures above 40 C have persisted, worsening fire risk. Experts say the fires are part of a broader pattern of extreme heat and drought across the EU.