Wildfire evacuations across France and Spain surpass 270,000 as fatality reported
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Wildfire evacuations in France and Spain have exceeded 270,000 people, with Spanish authorities reporting the first fatality near Valencia.
Wildfire evacuations across France and Spain have surpassed 270,000 as emergency services continue to fight persistent blazes across Southern Europe.
Spanish authorities confirmed a fatality related to the fires on Saturday. A 78-year-old man was found deceased inside his vehicle in Manises, a municipality near Valencia. The death marks the first reported fatality in the current wave of fires affecting the Iberian region.
Mass evacuations persist in France's Gironde department alongside regions surrounding Madrid and Ávila in Spain. International aerial firefighting assistance coordinated through the European Union, including aircraft and heavy helicopters from Croatia, Portugal, Czechia, and Slovakia, continues to reinforce local emergency operations near Bordeaux and affected Spanish zones.
Sources: NOS (Nederlandse Omroep Stichting), NRC.
Sources
Earlier coverage
- Jul 26, 2026, 01:30 AM UTCWildfire evacuations mount in France and Spain as flames approach Bordeaux
- Jul 25, 2026, 01:30 AM UTCEvacuations surge past 140,000 in France as wildfires spread across Southern Europe
- Jul 24, 2026, 02:30 PM UTCWildfires prompt emergency declaration in Spain and EU aid request from France