Wildfires threaten Bordeaux as evacuations exceed 325,000 across France and Spain

Firefighters in southwestern France are struggling to contain massive blazes as strong winds push the flames toward the outskirts of Bordeaux. Over 325,000 people have now been evacuated across France and Spain, with more than 220,000 displaced from the Gironde region alone, where blazes have destroyed over 42,000 hectares.

French President Emmanuel Macron has convened a crisis meeting as emergency services contend with extreme heat and pyrocumulonimbus clouds generating erratic weather conditions. In Spain, authorities declared a national emergency as wildfires spread rapidly. Two firefighters have died in the line of duty.

French prosecutors in the Var department have opened investigations into suspected arson after several fires broke out simultaneously. The emergency has caused significant transport disruptions, including the closure of the Bordeaux-Biarritz rail line and modifications to the Tour de France route.

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