- Wildfires in France and Spain have displaced a third of a million people, emptying towns during the summer holiday season.
- The Gironde fire has burned 420 square kilometers of pine forest west of Bordeaux, an area four times the size of Paris, prompting France's largest peacetime evacuation of 220,000 people.
- As of Saturday, the Gironde fire remained contained but was not declared fixed, with active sectors and buried hot spots persisting.
- In the Var, defensive lines around the Gros Bessillon fire held overnight, but about 2,500 people were still unable to return home, with 1,300 firefighters deployed.
- Twenty French departments were under an orange heat warning Saturday, with temperatures of 35 to 39 C forecast around the Mediterranean.
Wildfires in France continue to pose a significant threat, with the Gironde fire burning 420 square kilometers (162 square miles) and remaining contained but not fixed.123
Lt. Col. Eric Pitault stated, “Today, the fire is still not fixed. It is contained.” Despite containment efforts, 240 kilometers (149 miles) of fire edges remain active, with hot spots that could reignite.
In Greece, the situation has deteriorated as gale-force winds have fueled new fires, particularly around Porto Germeno, where hundreds of firefighters are battling flames.
The fire has prompted evacuations, with 300 people evacuated by sea and further orders issued as flames threaten the coastal area. Local resident Minas Tzortzanis lamented, “A pristine forest, a paradise, was surrendered to the hands of the fire.”
The European Union's Copernicus climate service reports that Europe is heating at more than twice the global average, exacerbating fire conditions.
As of Saturday, 20 French departments were under an orange heat warning, with temperatures forecasted between 35 to 39 C (95 to 102 F).
The crisis in Greece has led to new fires erupting and evacuation alerts for at least four villages, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by emergency services across the region.
“Europe is Earth's fastest-warming continent, heating at more than twice the global average since the 1980s, according to the EU's Copernicus climate service. The Gironde fire has burned 420 square kilometers west of Bordeaux — four times the size of Paris — and crews still faced about 240 kilometers of fire edges.”
Global News
