- More than 300,000 people have been displaced by the ongoing wildfires in France and Spain as hotter weather looms.
- In France's Gironde region, 55,000 additional evacuations brought the total to 220,000, while Spain reported over 100,000 evacuated.
- At least 68 firefighters have been injured, and around 7,000 evacuees are being sheltered at the Bordeaux exhibition center.
- Temperatures are forecast to reach 42°C (107°F) in Bordeaux by Wednesday, with no rain expected in fire-ravaged areas for at least five days.
Over 300,000 people have been displaced in France and Spain due to ongoing wildfires, marking the largest peacetime evacuation in France since World War II.1
The wildfires, driven by weeks of climate change-induced heat waves, have forced evacuations in regions like Gironde, where more than 220,000 residents have fled their homes.23
Spain's public broadcaster RTVE reported that over 100,000 people have also been evacuated.
As firefighters battle the blazes, at least 68 have been injured, and around 7,000 evacuees are currently sheltered in a Bordeaux exhibition center, which is enveloped in smoke.45
Despite light rain over the weekend, forecasts predict no significant precipitation in the hardest-hit areas, with temperatures expected to soar to 42°C (107.6°F) by Wednesday.
“Everything burned down,” said resident Mathieu Plessis, reflecting on the devastation of his ancestral home.
This year has seen an unprecedented amount of land burned across Europe, which is warming at more than twice the global average.
Fortunately, vineyards remain unaffected for now, as grapes are not yet large enough to absorb wildfire smoke, known as “smoke taint.”
“At least 68 firefighters have been injured battling the blazes, and around 7,000 evacuees are being sheltered at the Bordeaux exhibition center, which is shrouded in smoke. Temperatures are set to climb as high as 42°C by Wednesday, with no rain in the forecast for Gironde, Ávila, or Madrid.”
