- Wildfires in France, Spain, and Italy have forced the evacuation of about 330,000 people over the past week.
- French authorities ordered the evacuation of almost 4,000 people from the Lacanau resort amid a return of heatwave conditions.
- A fire in Ávila, west of Madrid, has become Spain’s largest on record, burning 50,000 hectares.
- Rémmi Lassoureille, a fire commander, stated that the blaze has destroyed 42,000 hectares (104,000 acres) of forest but is relatively under control.
- EU officials warned that wildfires could still be burning until early November, threatening a record-breaking year of burnt land area.
- The cumulative numbers of fires in 2026 have set new records in both France and Spain.
- The Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, indicated the country faced difficult hours, complex hours before the new heatwave.
- The evacuation order covers campsites, holiday villages, and other tourist accommodations around Lacanau, exacerbating a wildfire emergency described by Emmanuel Macron as the toughest situation since World War II.
Nearly 4,000 people were evacuated from the Lacanau resort in France as wildfires, fueled by a returning heatwave, created a dire situation. French President Emmanuel Macron labeled the crisis as the toughest since World War II, highlighting the severity of the ongoing wildfires.2379
The precautionary evacuation order affected campsites, holiday villages, and other tourist accommodations around Lacanau, as authorities responded to the escalating wildfire emergency. Rmi Lassoureille, a fire commander in the Gironde department, stated that the blaze has destroyed 42,000 hectares (104,000 acres) of forest but is currently “relatively under control.”5
The wildfires have not only impacted France but also Spain and Italy, with approximately 330,000 people evacuated across these countries in the past week. In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez acknowledged the “difficult hours, complex hours” ahead due to the new heatwave. A significant fire in the hilly terrain of Ávila, west of Madrid, has become Spain’s largest on record, burning 50,000 hectares.148
EU officials have warned that wildfires could continue to burn until early November, indicating a potential record-breaking year for burnt land area. The cumulative numbers of fires in 2026 have also set new records, underscoring the growing threat of wildfires in Europe.6
“The wildfires have already destroyed 42,000 hectares (104,000 acres) of forest, with French President Emmanuel Macron calling it the toughest situation since World War II. Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned of 'difficult hours' ahead as the new heatwave approaches.”
The Guardian
