Macron calls crisis meeting as wildfires spread across France and Spain

French President Emmanuel Macron has convened a crisis meeting as extreme wildfires continue to advance across southwestern France and Spain. Emergency services report that over 42,000 hectares have been destroyed in the Gironde region alone, pushing total burned land in France this year to 115,000 hectares.

Firefighters cautioned that containment efforts remain hampered by severe heat, gusty winds, and an "unprecedented" pyrocumulonimbus cloud that generates localized lightning and storm-force winds. Meanwhile, Spain has declared a national state of emergency as blazes spread across the border.

Displacement figures continue to vary among sources. Local French reports place Gironde evacuations at 220,000, while international outlets estimate total displaced persons across both countries between 250,000 and more than 325,000.

Sources: BBC News, Der Standard, France24, Helsingin Sanomat, Le Figaro.