Forest fires worsen in Spain and France... EU sends 7 firefighting aircraft

Hours after Spain declared a national state of emergency, the European response to the worsening wildfires expanded, with the European Union announcing on Friday the dispatch of four firefighting aircraft to Spain and three to France, in support of both countries’ efforts to contain the blazes.

In a statement, EU spokesperson Anna Kaissai Itkonen expressed hope that the situation would not spiral out of control, emphasizing the EU’s readiness to confront a difficult scenario.

Forest fires continued to spread across the Gironde and Landes regions in southwestern France, and in the Spanish capital, Madrid, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents and tourists, while flames consumed vast tracts of forest.

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French President Emmanuel Macron, in a post on the “X” platform, stated that the situation remained highly tense, particularly in the Gironde area, noting that France had requested the EU to activate its Civil Protection Mechanism.

He added that his country would receive reinforcements including two Canadair firefighting aircraft from Croatia, two Air Tractor planes from Portugal, and two heavy-lift helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

For his part, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said that approximately 40,000 people had been evacuated or were being evacuated from the Cap Ferret peninsula, located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Arcachon Bay.

He clarified that around 800 firefighters from across France continued battling the fires in Gironde, where, since last Wednesday, the blazes had destroyed more than 10,000 hectares of forest.

In Spain, hundreds of firefighters, supported by firefighting aircraft, continued battling the flames fueled by high temperatures and strong winds, following the government’s declaration of a national state of emergency.

Isabel Diaz Ayuso, president of the Madrid regional government, stated that at least 19,000 people had been evacuated or instructed to shelter in place, noting that the fires surrounding the capital were the worst in the region’s history, having consumed approximately 6,000 hectares of land.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the situation as “tragic,” urging citizens to exercise the utmost caution and vigilance.

Three fires continued to burn west of Madrid, in the areas of Villa del Prado and San Martín de Valdeiglesias.