Forest fires force the evacuation of thousands in France
France evacuated another 4,000 people on Tuesday as it braced for worsening conditions from massive wildfires, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed optimism about the situation in his country.
Firefighters in France and Spain face critical hours in their efforts to contain the huge blazes ahead of the arrival of a fourth heatwave this summer.
The fires have swept across vast forest areas in both countries, destroying homes and property and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.
Conditions are expected to deteriorate with a new heatwave forecast for Western Europe this week. Temperatures have risen again in France, while Spain is expected to face similar conditions starting Wednesday, according to meteorologists.
Over the past six days, the largest forest fire in France since 1949 has raged west of Bordeaux, forcing more than 220,000 people to flee and destroying 240 homes.
Local authorities reported that new fire outbreaks broke out overnight in the north of the peninsula, but they are now under control, and the area burned by the fires has not expanded.
Despite the heatwave, Sanchez announced that Spain has begun to “actually turn the corner” and that “we can start seeing light at the end of the tunnel” in the fight against these fires.
He warned that the fires might subside during the night but rage intensely during the day, adding that “the coming hours are critical.”
Outside Aldea del Fresno, on the eastern side of the fire zone, evacuated residents lined up with their cars, hoping to return to their homes and pets.
They were among 60,000 people forced to flee after the fires consumed 77,000 hectares in Spain, an area equivalent to the size of New York City.
However, Civil Guard officers are currently preventing their return, citing the dangers of inhaling smoke.
Later, the Spanish Interior Ministry announced the cancellation of evacuation orders for 13 municipalities in two regions hit by forest fires, stating that residents could return without disclosing the number of people affected.
The extreme heat has dried out the land and the dense vegetation that grew during the rainy season earlier in the year, creating favorable conditions for wildfires to ignite.
