Wildfires force 250,000 from homes as flames threaten Bordeaux

Wildfires force 250,000 from homes as flames threaten Bordeaux

Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes as massive wildfires continue to rage across southwest France, with flames advancing to the outskirts of Bordeaux while blazes in Spain have also triggered widespread evacuations.

French authorities say more than 250,000 people have now been displaced, making it one of the country's largest wildfire emergencies in recent history.

Fire closes in on Bordeaux

The largest blaze has torn through France's Gironde region since the middle of last week, consuming around 42,000 hectares (104,000 acres) of forest and scrubland—an area roughly four times the size of Paris.

Overnight, another 55,000 residents were ordered to evacuate as shifting winds pushed the fire closer to Bordeaux, one of the world's best-known wine-producing cities.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described the situation as "extremely unfavorable," saying the blaze had become highly unpredictable.

"The fire generated its own winds and advanced erratically toward the Bordeaux metropolitan area," he said, although calmer conditions overnight helped firefighters make some progress.

Thousands battle giant inferno

More than 2,500 firefighters, supported by 18 aircraft and helicopters from France and neighboring European countries, are battling the flames around the clock.

Military personnel have also joined the operation, while farmers have been supplying water tanks to help crews continue firefighting without interruption.

At least 75 firefighters have been treated for injuries, and hundreds of homes have already been destroyed.

Officials say the wildfire has repeatedly developed into a rare firestorm, creating its own weather system capable of generating lightning that can ignite fresh fires.

"It's like being confronted by a hurricane," said Gironde fire chief Marc Vermeulen.

Bordeaux remains on alert

Although the fire has come within around nine miles (15 kilometers) of Bordeaux, city officials say there are currently no plans to evacuate its 268,000 residents.

Instead, emergency shelters have been opened in exhibition centers to house thousands of evacuees, including elderly residents moved from care homes.

Authorities have urged tourists to avoid travelling to the region until the emergency is under control.

Spain also battling deadly blazes

Wildfires are also sweeping across parts of Spain, where more than 76,000 people have been evacuated and another 30,000 ordered to remain inside their homes.

The fires have burned around Madrid and in the Valencia region, where a man died over the weekend, becoming Spain's first recorded wildfire fatality during the current crisis.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said firefighters still faced "difficult hours ahead," despite overnight progress in containing some of the fires.

Pope offers prayers

Pope Leo XIV used his Sunday Angelus address to express solidarity with those affected in both France and Spain.

He called on Catholics around the world to pray for the victims of the "devastating wildfires" and for the emergency workers risking their lives to bring the blazes under control.

With high temperatures forecast to return this week, officials fear conditions could worsen again, delaying any return home for the hundreds of thousands of evacuees and prolonging an already unprecedented wildfire disaster.

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