80k people flee as wildfires spread in France and Spain
4 hours ago
- Over 90,000 people have fled wildfires in Spain and France, with Spain declaring a national emergency and France ordering total evacuation of a major holiday spot.
- France's Cap Ferret peninsula is being evacuated due to an intense, unpredictable wildfire that has burned over 12,500 hectares of forest.
- Spain declared its first wildfire national emergency as two blazes merged near Madrid, with extreme heat and dry conditions fueling the fires.
- Both countries sought EU help; officials described the situation as unprecedented and a 'perfect storm' of high temperatures and strong winds.
- About 800 firefighters and water-bombing planes are battling the fires, but conditions remain highly dynamic and unfavorable.
- Climate breakdown is cited as a factor, increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events and wildfires.
- There have been 29 major forest fires in Spain by mid-2026, compared to an average of 9 per year in the past decade, burning over 114,796 hectares.
- Arrests have been made in Spain related to causing the fires, with suspects ignoring bans on heavy machinery use.