France and Spain wildfires force 200,000 to evacuate... NASA site evacuated
Authorities in France and Spain have ordered the evacuation of more than 200,000 people from areas threatened by rapidly spreading wildfires, amid heatwaves and strong winds that are hampering efforts to contain the blazes.
The Financial Times reported on Saturday that the two countries are facing widespread fires, prompting France to evacuate more than 140,000 people, while Spain declared a national emergency and evacuated or isolated approximately 63,000 people near Madrid. French authorities described the situation as an “unprecedented phenomenon.”
**Widespread Evacuations**
In France, evacuation orders expanded around the city of Bordeaux and the departments of Gironde and Landes, as fires moved from the coast inland and approached populated towns.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that the fires were “not under control,” noting that a shift in wind direction forced authorities to adjust their response plans and deploy military reinforcements to support firefighting teams.
**Emergency Near Madrid**
In Spain, the government declared a national emergency after several fires got out of control in areas close to Madrid, with two blazes merging into one massive fire front.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the situation as “tragic,” while emergency services warned that strong, erratic winds could accelerate the spread of the fires and hinder containment efforts.
**NASA Site Evacuated**
NASA announced the evacuation of all personnel from its Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex, one of its three global sites dedicated to communicating with space probes, after a fire passed through the facility.
The agency confirmed that support for space missions has been temporarily shifted to its centers in Canberra, Australia, and Goldstone, California, emphasizing that employee safety is the top priority, with damage assessments to be conducted later.
**Heatwaves**
Successive heatwaves have dried out vegetation, making fires ignite and spread more quickly, placing France and Spain at the center of Europe’s wildfire season during the summer of 2026.
French President Emmanuel Macron requested support from the European Union, stating that air assistance pledged by several countries represents “rapid and practical support” in addressing the crisis.
**Growing Losses**
The fires have consumed tens of thousands of hectares in both countries, with firefighters, soldiers, and aircraft continuing to be deployed in the most affected areas.
Although no new fatalities have been reported in some parts of Spain, previous fires had claimed lives. Meanwhile, two firefighters were killed in France while battling another blaze near Bordeaux.
