French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to hold a crisis cabinet meeting on Monday as wildfires continue to close in on the south-western city of Bordeaux. While the blaze is currently approximately 15km (9 miles) from the city, Bordeaux mayor Thomas Cazenave stated that there are no current plans to evacuate the population of about 850,000 residents.
The situation remains precarious as another heatwave is expected to complicate firefighting efforts. Temperatures are forecast to climb as high as 40C in certain areas starting Tuesday. In the Gironde region, the primary fire has generated an unprecedented "pyrocumulonimbus"—a massive fire thunderstorm powered by its own wind and lightning, according to the National Firefighters Federation of France (FNSPF). Spokesman Eric Brocardi described the struggle as a "David-versus-Goliath scenario," noting that the fire front is constantly shifting and cannot be fought directly. He added that controlling the blaze would require either heavy rain for three days or steering it toward a natural barrier like the sea.
The impact in France has been severe, with roughly 42,000 hectares burned in the south-west, marking one of the largest forest fires since World War Two. Since the beginning of the year, approximately 98,000 hectares have been scorched across the country. Tens of thousands of people have already been evacuated from the region surrounding Bordeaux, with more than 220,000 total evacuations in the south-west. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the situation as "very unfavourable," noting that the fire is moving erratically toward the city. President Macron, who previously promised that his government would be there "for as long as is needed" to rebuild, is now addressing the escalation.
Across the border, Spain is also facing significant challenges. Firefighters were battling a new blaze on Sunday near the eastern coastal city of Valencia, forcing around 15,000 people to flee their homes. Pilar Bernabe, the central government's delegate to Valencia, warned that weather conditions are expected to worsen. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, who is expected to visit the affected areas in Valencia on Monday, said the fires were advancing slowly. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, during a visit to the fire zone in Ávila province, remarked that "difficult hours lie ahead" and called for a major public pact on the climate emergency. King Felipe VI, touring an emergency shelter in Villamanta, stated that the wildfires have caused "incalculable" damage to the country's natural heritage. In total, more than 330,000 people have been evacuated across France and Spain over the past week.
