MADRID (dpa-AFX) - The rapidly spreading wildfires in France and Spain have forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate and continue to threaten communities.
More than 300,000 people have been forced to evacuate in the neighboring countries as firefighters worked hard to contain the spreading blazes.
The wildfires are reportedly ravaging parts of southern France and approaching Bordeaux.
With another heatwave forecast this week, the wildfire in the Gironde region will take many weeks to subside, says a report quoting senior official.
In southern France, multiple fires have already destroyed dozens of homes, according to national authorities.
Madrid declared a national emergency on Friday as wildfires near the capital forced 10,000 people to evacuate. The head of the regional government said these fires are the worst ever.
'Wildfires destroy homes and livelihoods, force evacuations, and place enormous pressure on emergency services and health systems,' the World Health Organization said in a press release.
The amount of land burned by wildfires across Europe has increased by 57 per cent in four years, according to new data from WHO in Europe.
Wildfires destroyed 2.2 million hectares of land in the WHO's European Region in 2025 - up from 1.4 million hectares in 2022.
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