More than 80,000 people have been forced to flee their homes due to 'apocalyptic' wildfires burning across France and Spain. Some residents even escaped by boat as flames swept through the tourist hotspot of Cap Ferret on France's Atlantic coast.
Mass Evacuations in France
Authorities ordered the total evacuation of the Cap Ferret peninsula, a popular summer destination, as smoke and flames approached homes. Around 63,000 people were evacuated from the area. Laurent Moretti, a resident of Arès, said: 'It's quite impressive and even frightening. An evacuation on this scale has never happened before. All we really hope is that the firefighters can quickly get it under control.'
Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed, with additional ground and aerial reinforcements arriving on Friday to tackle the blaze. Another major wildfire further south along the coast remained uncontained due to strong winds. Authorities believe both fires were accidental.
EU Assistance Requested
France's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said 40,000 people were evacuated in the Gironde department and 23,000 in the Landes. President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will receive EU reinforcements, including two Croatian Canadair firefighting aircraft, two Portuguese Air Tractor aircraft, and two heavy-lift Black Hawk helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Southern Europe has experienced multiple large fires this summer. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, with temperatures rising twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. Scientists warn that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, making the region more vulnerable to wildfires.
Spain Declares National Emergency
In Spain, more than 10,000 people were evacuated from towns in the mountains west of Madrid as firefighters worked to prevent three fires in the region and neighboring Avila province from merging, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said. The area, where many Madrid residents have second homes, is densely populated.
This led the government to declare a national emergency, allowing better coordination of the response. Grande-Marlaska noted the aggressive nature of the fires and hot, windy weather also prompted the decision. It was the first time such a measure has been taken due to a wildfire. The last time Spain declared the same level of emergency alert was during a nationwide power blackout last year. Spain has also sought EU assistance, the Interior Ministry said.
