Europe wildfires latest: Fires just 15km from Bordeaux as officials consider ‘total evacuation of city if necessary’

WorldEnvironment
26 Jul 2026 • 10:54 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Europe wildfires latest: Fires just 15km from Bordeaux as officials consider ‘total evacuation of city if necessary’

Raging wildfires are now just 15km (9 miles) from Bordeaux, the city’s mayor Thomas Cazenave said on Sunday, as the council considers a total evacuation of the region.

"It's about ​15 ⁠kilometres away from the ‌entry points to the main city," Cazenave said in an update on Sunday.

Bordeaux City Council is considering a total evacuation of the city, a spokesperson told Sky News, as it is "currently studying scenarios for all possible ways the fire could evolve.”

It is the sixth largest city in France when including both the city proper and surrounding metropolitan area, and is home to over 1.2 million people.

Nearby areas have all been evacuated as the fire advanced amid high winds.

French interior minister said that the blaze was “extremely virulent and unpredictable again, generating its own wind and spreading erratically toward the Bordeaux metropolitan area” on Saturday night but had calmed “somewhat” overnight. The situation “remains highly unfavourable”, he added.

One man died in a wildfire in Manises, near the Spanish city of Valencia, the ​country's ⁠interior ⁠ministry said. He was found in a car ⁠in ​a ravine hundreds of kilometres away from the severe wildfires near Madrid.

Around 300,000 people have been displaced including some 70,000 people evacuated in central Spain.

Read More

Mapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires

More than 280,000 people forced to flee as devastating wildfires rip through Spain and France

Photos show scale of devastation caused by unprecedented wildfires in France and Spain

Is it safe to travel to Spain and France? Updated advice as wildfires rage

wildfires

  • Fires just 15km from Bordeaux
  • Bordeaux officials considering 'total evacuation' of city
  • Man dies in Spanish wildfire near Valencia
  • Mapped: What areas are affected by the wildfires?
  • Over 300,000 people evacuated as fires rage across France and Spain
  • Air quality warning issued by Spanish health minister
  • UK travel advice for those affected by fires in Spain

Mapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires

16:30 , Maira Butt

Over 300,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes as wildfires continue to rage across Spain and France.

At least one man has been killed in Spain and dozens others have been injured including at least 68 firefighters in France.

Government officials from both countries have commented on the historic nature of the blaze, with Madrid’s regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso describing it as “the worst fire in the history of the region”.

“The fires ‌which are hitting our country have reached a level that has never ​been seen before,” French ‌prime minister Sebastien Lecornu wrote on X on Saturday.

Lecornu promised that over 1.5 million face masks would be provided as even areas unaffected by the worst of the blaze saw air quality deteriorate and smoke spread.

Image from: Europe wildfires latest: Fires just 15km from Bordeaux as officials consider ‘total evacuation of city if necessary’

Mapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires

French police rush families from homes as new blaze breaks out: 'The fire is coming'

16:01 , Maira Butt

Where are fires burning in Europe?

15:40 , Maira Butt

In pictures: Evacuated residents crowd in shelters as inferno spreads

15:20 , Maira Butt

Elderly persons evacuated amid wildfires rest in a sports hall in Villaviciosa de Odon, 20 kms west of Madrid, on July 25, 2026. (AFP/Getty)Rodika, 60, from Fresnedillas de la Oliva looks at her cat Pisi as people affected by the wildfires take shelter at the Municipal Sports Hall of Villanueva de la Canada, Community of Madrid, Spain, July 25, 2026. (Reuters)People affected by the wildfires take shelter at the Municipal Sports Hall of Villanueva de la Canada, Community of Madrid, Spain, July 25, 2026. (Reuters)

Restaurant owner says Bordeaux is 'full of smoke and ash'

15:00 , Rebecca Whittaker

A British restaurant owner in Bordeaux said the city is “full of smoke and ash” and residents are wearing masks if they go outside.

Lance Attwood, 58, who owns Sweeney Todd’s in Bordeaux city centre, told the Press Association: “It’s not really conducive to coming out.

“The town is full of smoke and ash, so there’s a big drop in business, people are just walking around town in masks.

“Our biggest concern is people’s safety and the safety of the emergency services.”

Mr Attwood, who has lived in Bordeaux for 25 years, said it was “too soon” for friends who had been evacuated to want to talk to the media about their experiences, with their focus instead on recovering sentimental belongings and finding alternative living arrangements.

He encouraged people to donate dry food with a long shelf-life to local charities to help those affected.

Raining ash and a tower of black smoke: Families flee ‘apocalyptic’ wildfires on the road out of Lège-Cap Ferret

14:40 , Maira Butt

Driving away from her home in the wealthy resort town of Lège-Cap Ferret, Marion Girault-Rime was suddenly overwhelmed by the smell of smoke.

She was left speechless as cinders blew across her car windscreen like “raining ash”, with bright-red flames erupting and a towering pillar of black smoke billowing 20km in the distance. The scene was “frightening and spectacular”, she says.

“I still stink of smoke,” the 53-year-old marketing business owner tells The Independent from her friend’s home in Bordeaux. “My car stinks of smoke. I don’t think I will ever get the smell out.”

Marion, like her neighbours, was awoken at around 4am on Friday morning by an emergency alert on her phone that instructed every citizen in the town to evacuate immediately.

Image from: Europe wildfires latest: Fires just 15km from Bordeaux as officials consider ‘total evacuation of city if necessary’

Raining ash and a tower of black smoke: Families flee ‘apocalyptic’ France wildfires

In pictures: Drone shots show homes burned to the ground in Gironde, France

14:30 , Maira Butt

 (Reuters)A drone view shows a house that withstood fire damage in an area affected by wildfire, in Le Porge, Gironde, amongst worsening drought conditions following a heatwave and water shortages across much of France, July 26, 2026. (Reuters) (Reuters)

Firefighters 'overwhelmed' by inferno and 'now concerned' about Bordeaux

14:18 , Maira Butt

The head of Gironde’s firefighters union has said that emergency services are “overwhelmed” by the blazes raging through France.

Sebastien Berge said on Sunday: “The firefighters are overwhelmed. When there's a fire of this magnitude, it creates its own weather pattern...it's difficult to monitor.

“Especially when there's a fire front that stretches for more than 20km.

“When you see how far it's spreading, I think we can now be concerned about the city of Bordeaux.”

Bordeaux fire was 'generating its own wind and spreading erratically', says French minister

14:04 , Maira Butt

France’s interior minister Laurent Nunez has provided an update following another “tough night” of wildfires.

“The situation remains highly unfavourable,” he wrote in a post on X on Sunday.

“At the start of the night, in Gironde, the fire became extremely virulent and unpredictable again, generating its own wind and spreading erratically toward the Bordeaux metropolitan area.

“By the end of the night, it had calmed down somewhat..

He said that the burned area now stands at 42,300 hectares of land and that an additional 50,000 people were evacuated.

Watch: Aerial view as authorities attempt to put out France wildfires

13:40 , Maira Butt

In pictures: Firefighting planes make drops over raging blazes in Spain

13:20 , Maira Butt

A helicopter makes a drop as smoke rises from a wildfire in Betxi, Spain, July 26, 2026. (Reuters)A firefighting plane makes a drop during a wildfire in Betxi, Spain, July 26, 2026 (Reuters) (AFP/Getty)

Comment: Military bosses say climate change is now a national security threat – ministers must not ignore them

13:00 , Maira Butt

For the first time ever, the British military has warned the government that climate change and the damage we have done to nature seriously threaten our national security.

These are not tree-hugging environmental campaigners, but top-level, hard-bitten military men carrying out their official duty of telling the truth to power.

Their report so frightened government ministers, and showed them to be so unprepared, that they banned its publication. Instead, the public was only allowed a pared-down version, with all the stark reality removed.

That tactic also suited the opposition. Normally, the Tories would be carrying out a relentless campaign to get the full truth. However, that would undermine their current downplaying of climate disruption, so they have been largely silent.

Image from: Europe wildfires latest: Fires just 15km from Bordeaux as officials consider ‘total evacuation of city if necessary’

Climate change is now a national security threat – ministers must act

In pictures: Spain's King and Queen visit wildfire evacuees

12:40 , Maira Butt

Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia speak with Mayor of Villamanta Mariano Nunez Munoz as they visit the evacuees from the Madrid wildfire.

 (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty)

Watch: Police evacuate family as France wildfires rage saying, ‘Don’t take your belongings, just go’

12:20 , Maira Butt

Over 2,500 firefighters and 1,500 military deployed to battle France fires

12:10 , Maira Butt

France has deployed significant resources to tackle wildfires across the country, the country’s interior minister Laurent Nunez said in an update on Sunday.

“In total, 2,500 firefighters are mobilized, including a Swiss team, along with 1,500 military personnel and nearly 1,200 police and gendarmes who are carrying out evacuations and assisting with rescue and securing operations, not to mention the invaluable support of 450 volunteers from accredited civil security associations,” he wrote in a post on X.

“Finally, 18 aerial resources have been mobilised since this morning, and the A400M will be deployed once again.”

The A400M plane dropped the first liquid retardant drop from its hold on Saturday.

“A world first, made possible in just fifteen days thanks to the exemplary mobilisation of Civil Security, the armed forces, and Airbus,” wrote prime minister Sebastien Lecornu on X on Saturday.

Gironde advises tourists to 'stay away' for the next 24 to 48 hours

12:01 , Maira Butt

French authorities have advised tourists to stay away from Gironde amid raging wildfires plaguing the region.

“To ensure your safety, the prefecture of Gironde and French state authorities are currently advising against travel to the department in order to prevent congestion on local roads,” read a post on the social media page for Visit Bordeaux.

“We recommend postponing your stay and waiting 24 to 48 hours while closely following official updates and communications.”

Fires just 15km from Bordeaux as officials consider ‘total evacuation of city if necessary’

11:47 , Maira Butt

Raging wildfires are now just 15km from Bordeaux, the city’s mayor Thomas Cazenave said on Sunday, as the council considers a total evacuation of the region.

"It's about ​15 ⁠kilometres away from the ‌entry points to the main city," Cazenave said in an update on Sunday.

Bordeaux City Council is considering a total evacuation of the city, a spokesperson told Sky News, as it is "currently studying scenarios for all possible ways the fire could evolve.”

It is the sixth largest city in France when including both the city proper and surrounding metropolitan area, and is home to over 1.2 million people.

Nearby areas have all been evacuated as the fire advanced amid high winds.

Is it safe to travel to Spain and France? Updated advice as wildfires rage

11:30 , Maira Butt

Travel advice has been updated for Spain and France as wildfires rage through both countries.

The UK government is advising people in Spain to avoid travelling through affected areas of Madrid and Avila, while in France, people are being advised to follow the advice of local authorities and check with their accommodation or travel provider before travelling.

The wildfires have forced the evacuation of more than 300,000 people, and authorities are considering the total evacuation of the city of Bordeaux.

“The fires ‌which are hitting our country have reached a level that has never ​been seen before,” French ‌prime minister Sebastien Lecornu said.

Image from: Europe wildfires latest: Fires just 15km from Bordeaux as officials consider ‘total evacuation of city if necessary’

Is it safe to travel to Spain and France? Updated advice as wildfires rage

Spanish resident takes cat and leaves home

11:10 , Maira Butt

Residents have been forced to evacuate their homes as the fire advances and smoke reaches their towns. One person described taking her pet cat with her in the emergency.

“I saw clouds of smoke rising into the sky. That's when I realised something was happening,” Rodika, 60, from the small town of Fresnedillas de La Oliva, told Reuters.

“I think we all panicked. Then we received the message telling us to get ready, take whatever valuables we could, whatever was most important. I took my cat, and we left.”

Watch: Military plane tackles ‘apocalyptic’ wildfires across France  YT drafts

10:50 , Maira Butt

French Gendarmerie rescues family from village near new fire outbreak

10:30 , Maira Butt

France’s gendarmerie, a branch of the French armed forces, have shared footage of an evacuation of a family from a village near a new fire outbreak.

“All state services are fully mobilised to protect the population and property, day and night,” it wrote in a post on X alongside the footage.

Bordeaux fire was 'generating its own wind and spreading erratically', says French minister in new update

10:10 , Maira Butt

France’s interior minister Laurent Nunez has provided an update following another “tough night” of wildfires.

“The situation remains highly unfavourable,” he wrote in a post on X on Sunday.

“At the start of the night, in Gironde, the fire became extremely virulent and unpredictable again, generating its own wind and spreading erratically toward the Bordeaux metropolitan area.

“By the end of the night, it had calmed down somewhat..

He said that the burned area now stands at 42,300 hectares of land and that an additional 50,000 people were evacuated.

A firefighter stands on the edge of a burning area in Blagon, west of Bordeaux, on July 26, 2026 as a wildfire has been ravaging the forest north of the Arcachon Basin (Gironde) since July 22. (AFP/Getty)

Where are fires raging in France as authorities consider Bordeaux evacuation?

10:00 , Maira Butt

In pictures: Fires continue to rage west of Bordeaux

09:48 , Maira Butt

A firefighter pulls a hose on the edge of a burning area in Blagon, west of Bordeaux, on July 26, 2026 as a wildfire has been ravaging the forest north of the Arcachon Basin (Gironde) since July 22. (AFP/Getty)Firefighters work on the edge of a burning area in Blagon, west of Bordeaux, on July 26, 2026 as a wildfire has been ravaging the forest north of the Arcachon Basin (Gironde) since July 22 (AFP/Getty)A firefighter from Marseille pulls a hose amid smoke in Ares on July 26, 2026 as a wildfire has been ravaging the forest north of the Arcachon Basin (Gironde) since July 22. The fire that has engulfed the area around the Arcachon Basin and is now threatening the outskirts of the Bordeaux metropolitan area has destroyed 42,000 hectares of

Mapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires

09:30 , Maira Butt

Over 280,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes as wildfires continue to rage across Spain and France.

Government officials from both countries have commented on the historic nature of the blaze, with Madrid’s regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso describing it “the worst fire in the history of the region”.

“The fires ‌which are hitting our country have reached a level that has never ​been seen before,” French ‌prime minister Sebastien Lecornu wrote on X on Saturday.

Lecornu promised that over 1.5 million face masks would be provided as even areas unaffected by the worst of the blaze saw air quality deteriorate and smoke spread.

Below we look at the areas affected and evacuated as a result of the wildfires.

Mapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires

Bordeaux officials considering 'total evacuation' of city

09:00 , Maira Butt

Bordeaux City Council is exploring options to deal with the various ways the wildfires nearby could evolve, including a total evacuation of the city, a spokesperson told Sky News.

The Council is "currently studying scenarios for all possible ways the fire could evolve", they said, which includes a total evacuation of the city, if needed.

Surrounding areas have been evacuated as the fire advanced amid high winds. The city is the sixth largest in France.

Watch: Aerial view as authorities attempt to put out France wildfires

08:30 , Maira Butt

Oregon fire looms near town as fourth firefighter dies weeks after Colorado blaze

08:00 , Namita Singh

As dry, windy weather fueled a big wildfire near a city in central Oregon, a fourth firefighter died after he and several colleagues last month were overcome by a fast-moving wildfire near the Colorado-Utah border, authorities said Saturday.

Nathan Matthews, 43, of Lincoln, Nebraska, died Friday, the federal Interior Department said in a statement. Meanwhile, several fierce wildfires in a summer of big ones continued burning across the western US.

One of the worst – and the one deemed top priority for firefighting efforts – was just a few miles (5km) north of Sisters, a central Oregon city of about 3,000 people.

Wildfire spreads to northeastern Algerian province

06:00 , Namita Singh

A wildfire spread in Haddada municipality in Algeria's northeastern Souk Ahras province on Saturday, as firefighters responded to the blaze.

Footage released by Algeria's Civil Protection showed firefighters battling flames in a forested area as smoke rose above the wildfire.

High winds make fighting Spanish wildfires harder, officials say

05:04 , Namita Singh

Winds in Spain with gusts of up ​to 60kmph (38mph) are complicating the fight ‌against out-of-control wildfires west of Madrid.

Two separate wildfires in the Madrid region ​combined on Friday and became one ​huge blaze, but so far they have ⁠not merged with another in Avila, in ​the neighbouring Castilla y Leon region.

Trees burn during a wildfire next to La Atalaya neighborhood on 25 July 2026 in El Tiemblo, Madrid, Spain (Getty)

The fires have ​so far forced more than 30,000 people to flee their homes in the Madrid region and more ​than 20,000 to be confined at home, ​the ministry said on Saturday, in what officials have ‌called ⁠the region's worst fire on record.

Overnight weather conditions had helped the firefighters.

"The change in weather conditions (less wind, higher humidity, and lower temperature) ​has greatly ​benefited the ⁠fight against the forest fires, which have advanced little and decreased ​in intensity," the central government in ​Madrid ⁠said on Saturday morning.

Plumes of thick smoke could be seen in the sky west of ⁠the ​capital. More than 9,000 hectares ​have burned in the wildfires in the Madrid region, authorities ​said.

Sunday's grand finale of Tour de France to be ​shortened

05:01 , Namita Singh

Sunday's grand finale of the Tour de France, ending in Paris, will be ​shortened due to the impact of ‌security forces being redeployed to battle wildfires near Bordeaux, organisers and police said.

The Tour's final leg – Stage ​21 when cyclists enter Paris and do ​laps around the Champs Elysees – will be ⁠shortened to 89km instead of the ​133km originally planned.

A firefighter works at the scene of a wildfire in Andernos-les-Bains in the Gironde department, amongst worsening drought conditions following a heatwave and water shortages across much of France, 26 July 2026 (Reuters)

"As numerous wildfires are currently ​affecting France, particularly the Gironde region, emergency services are fully mobilised to combat the blazes, while internal security ​forces are working to secure the affected ​areas and protect the population," the Paris police and the ‌event's ⁠organisers said in a joint statement.

"In light of this, the Interior Ministry has decided to redeploy a portion of the internal security forces ​initially mobilised ​to ensure ⁠security for the final stage of the Tour de France, in ​order to reinforce the response efforts ​in ⁠the areas affected by the wildfires."

Watch: Homes go up in flames as wildfires tear through Spain

03:00 , Rebecca Whittaker

Pictured: Wildfires sweep across France and Spain

02:00 , Rebecca Whittaker

A seaplane drops water onto the fire as a wildfire advances near La Adrada, Ávila province, Spain (AP)A burned tree is seen near Lacanau, in the Lege-Cap-Ferret region, southwestern France (AP)

Wildfire leads to evacuations in some suburbs of the French city of Bordeaux

01:00 , Rebecca Whittaker

Authorities in France evacuated some suburbs of Bordeaux on Saturday as a massive wildfire shifted toward the city famous for its wines.

The prefect of the Gironde region that includes Bordeaux ordered the evacuation in the early hours of Saturday, covering parts of three of the city’s western suburbs, including its airport.

Read more here:

Image from: Europe wildfires latest: Fires just 15km from Bordeaux as officials consider ‘total evacuation of city if necessary’

Wildfire leads to evacuations in some suburbs of the French city of Bordeaux

Restaurant owner says Bordeaux is 'full of smoke and ash'

Saturday 25 July 2026 23:50 , Rebecca Whittaker

A British restaurant owner in Bordeaux said the city is “full of smoke and ash” and residents are wearing masks if they go outside.

Lance Attwood, 58, who owns Sweeney Todd’s in Bordeaux city centre, told the Press Association: “It’s not really conducive to coming out.

“The town is full of smoke and ash, so there’s a big drop in business, people are just walking around town in masks.

“Our biggest concern is people’s safety and the safety of the emergency services.”

Mr Attwood, who has lived in Bordeaux for 25 years, said it was “too soon” for friends who had been evacuated to want to talk to the media about their experiences, with their focus instead on recovering sentimental belongings and finding alternative living arrangements.

He encouraged people to donate dry food with a long shelf-life to local charities to help those affected.

Watch: Aerial view as authorities attempt to put out France wildfires

Saturday 25 July 2026 23:30 , Rebecca Whittaker

Pictured: Cairngorms wildfire causes billowing smoke

Saturday 25 July 2026 23:10 , Rebecca Whittaker

A wildfire broke out in the Cairngorms National Park last week.

A fire near the village of Glenmore, led to residents and campsites being evacuated.

It covered an area of about six square kilometres of heather and small trees at its height.

More than 100 firefighters have been mobilised to the incident alongside specialist wildfire appliances, all-terrain vehicles and partner agencies.

Homes around Nethy Bridge were also issued a precautionary evacuation order on Friday night as the wildfire intensified.

 (PA) (PA)Fighting the wildfire in the Cairngorms National Park (PA Media)

Residents told to return home after wildfire in Cairngorms National Park

Saturday 25 July 2026 22:57 , Rebecca Whittaker

Residents of Nethy Bridge have been told they can return to their homes, following a large fire in the Cairngorms National Park.

Superintendent Judy Hill, of Police Scotland, said: “Thanks to the efforts of fire crews, gamekeepers, contractors, partners and many others over the past 24 hours, there is no longer the immediate threat which prompted the evacuation of properties in Nethy Bridge.

“We are grateful to the community for their support and understanding in what has been a period of concern and disruption.”

First Minister John Swinney welcomed the news, saying: “Efforts to tackle the wildfire in the Cairngorms are in their tenth day, and changeable weather conditions have presented a range of challenges for those on the ground. I praise their resilience and tireless efforts to bring it under control.

“With residents in Nethy Bridge now able to return to their homes, Police Scotland have lifted the Major Incident declaration.

“I want to stress however, that the Scottish Government, the emergency services and all relevant authorities will continue to treat this wildfire, as has been the case since its onset, with the utmost seriousness and necessary resources until the last flames are out.”

Germany sends military aircraft to help with wildfires in France

Saturday 25 July 2026 22:55 , Rebecca Whittaker

Germany is set to send military aircraft to help France respond to the wildfires, Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said.

A400 military aircraft, helicopters and rescue teams are on their way to France.

Is it safe to travel to Spain and France? Updated advice as wildfires rage

Saturday 25 July 2026 22:50 , Rebecca Whittaker

Travel advice has been updated for Spain and France as wildfires rage through both countries.

The UK government is advising people in Spain to avoid travelling through affected areas of Madrid and Avila, while in France, people are being advised to follow the advice of local authorities and check with their accommodation or travel provider before travelling.

Read more here:

Image from: Europe wildfires latest: Fires just 15km from Bordeaux as officials consider ‘total evacuation of city if necessary’

Is it safe to travel to Spain and France? Updated advice as wildfires rage

UK travel advice for those affected by fires in Spain

Saturday 25 July 2026 22:30 , Rebecca Whittaker

The government website provides the following advice for those affected by wildfires in Madrid and Avila in Spain:

“Spanish authorities have declared a national emergency because of wildfires in parts of Madrid and Ávila. There are also reports of wildfires in other inland areas of Spain.

“If you are in an area affected by a wildfire:

  • follow instructions from local authorities and emergency services at all times
  • avoid travelling to or through affected areas
  • check updates from the emergency services
  • call 112 if you need emergency help.”

The government website provides further information here.

More than 280,000 people forced to flee as devastating wildfires rip through Spain and France

Saturday 25 July 2026 22:10 , Rebecca Whittaker

More than 280,000 people have been forced to flee their homes as devastating wildfires rage across central Spain and southwestern France.

High winds have left firefighters struggling to battle flames as Spain declared a national emergency, with multiple fires merging outside Madrid.

France has deployed its army, with hundreds of soldiers joining efforts to contain the flames, which have ripped through a record 98,000 hectares since January.

Read more here:

Image from: Europe wildfires latest: Fires just 15km from Bordeaux as officials consider ‘total evacuation of city if necessary’

More than 280,000 flee as devastating wildfires rip through Spain and France

European Commission President shares thoughts with those in 'devastating wildfires'

Saturday 25 July 2026 21:50 , Rebecca Whittaker

President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyden, has praised the “firefighters bravely battling the flames” and shared her thoughts with those who have been evacuated in France and Spain.

In a post on X she said five aircraft and two helicopters from the rescue fleet have been deployed to France and four aircraft will be arriving in Spain.

“Europe stands alongside France and Spain in the face of the devastating wildfires striking them,” she wrote.

Watch: Horses run from thick smoke as wildfires spread in southern France

Saturday 25 July 2026 21:30 , Rebecca Whittaker

Recap: Man dies in Spanish wildfire near Valencia

Saturday 25 July 2026 21:10 , Rebecca Whittaker

A man has died in a wildfire in Manises, Valencia, the Spanish Interior Ministry said.

A brush fire outside coastal Valencia, which began and was extinguished on Saturday, caused the death of an elderly man in his car.

The man ‌was ⁠found in a car in a ravine, ‌the ​officials ‌said.

It comes as Spain faces multiple wildfires, leaving homes charred and forcing thousands to evacuate.

Three blazes in the vicinity of Madrid, two of ​which merged ⁠on Friday, have prompted Spain to declare its first national emergency ‌over a wildfire.

Residents near Bordeaux evacuated to emergency accomidation

Saturday 25 July 2026 20:50 , Rebecca Whittaker

A 71-year-old said she abandoned her house in the middle of the night “with nothing”.

Speaking at a large conference centre in Bordeaux converted into emergency accommodation. she said: "I forgot plenty of things, my eye medications, everything."

About 197,000 people have so far been evacuated from the Gironde and Landes areas close to Bordeaux since the wildfires broke out this week.

French Interior Minister Nunez said the flames were around 30 km (19 miles) from Bordeaux.

The government has warned against road or rail travel to the area. Bordeaux airport remained open but train and bus links to it were affected, it said on its website.

Watch: Homes go up in flames as wildfires tear through Spain

Saturday 25 July 2026 20:30 , Rebecca Whittaker

Pictured: Smoke rises as a wildfire spreads near Madrid

Saturday 25 July 2026 20:10 , Rebecca Whittaker

Smoke rises as a wildfire advances near El Tiemblo, Madrid province, Spain (AP)Alberto Garcia watches as a wildfire advances near El Tiemblo, Madrid province, Spain (AP) (AFP/Getty)

Spanish resident recalls panicking and taking her cat as she was evacuated

Saturday 25 July 2026 19:50 , Rebecca Whittaker

A residents from Fresnedillas de La Oliva, a town near Madrid, said she “took her cat and left” when she received a message to prepare for evacuation.

Wildfires in Europe have displaced about 280,000 people this week, including some 70,000 people evacuated in central Spain.

"I saw clouds of smoke rising into the sky. That's when I realized something was happening," Rodika, 60, from the small town of Fresnedillas de La Oliva, told Reuters.

"I ‌think we all panicked. Then we received the message telling us to ​get ready, take whatever valuables we could, whatever was most important. I took my cat, and we left."

Pictured: Where are the wildfires across Europe?

Saturday 25 July 2026 19:35 , Rebecca Whittaker

Map created by FireMap using data from NASA reveals where wildfire are across Europe (FireMap)FireMap reveals where fire has spread near Madrid (FireMap)FireMap reveals where wildfires have spread near Bordeaux (FireMap)

Reality TV star Georgia Toffolo reveals she escaped French wildfires

Saturday 25 July 2026 19:30 , Rebecca Whittaker

Reality TV star Georgia Toffolo has revealed she narrowly escaped the French wildfires with her husband, Brewdog co-founder James Watt.

The 31-year-old said she was on holiday with family in Cap Ferret last week and left the place she was staying earlier than planned as she could smell the fires, adding in a post on her Instagram story that she is “praying that everyone’s OK”.

The former Made In Chelsea star said: “We were just watching the news, and just so you can understand, we were on holiday there for a week, and then we were at lunch with friends on Thursday, and… we knew about the fire, but at that point it was quite far away.

“And our friends were like: ‘Oh God, it’s really getting bad’, and they live there, so they were a bit more plugged in than us, and anyway, at that point, everyone was like… ‘everything’s OK, just stay put’.

“But the problem is with these wildfires, when the wind changes direction, the situation changes really quickly.”

Read more here:

Image from: Europe wildfires latest: Fires just 15km from Bordeaux as officials consider ‘total evacuation of city if necessary’

Reality TV star Georgia Toffolo reveals she escaped French wildfires

Macron promises to 'rebuild' and 'repair' areas destroyed by wildfires

Saturday 25 July 2026 19:14 , Rebecca Whittaker

French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to “rebuild” and “repair” after thousands of hectares have been ravaged and homes destroyed in France.

About 197,000 people have so far been evacuated from the Gironde and Landes areas close to Bordeaux since the wildfires broke out this week.

French Interior Minister Nunez said the flames were around 30 km (19 miles) from Bordeaux.

The president has thanked the emergency services fighting the country's numerous wildfires.

“We will rebuild, we will repair, and we will be there as long as it takes,” he wrote in a post on X.

Residents near Bordeaux describe wildfires as 'totally apocalyptic'

Saturday 25 July 2026 19:10 , Rebecca Whittaker

A wildfire in the village of Saumos, north of Cap Ferret, near Bordeaux has been described as “apocalyptic” by residents.

The fire is threatening to cut off the only road out of the peninsula and is the largest so far this season in France, local television reported.

It has torn through more than 14,000 hectares of forest and destroyed more ‌than 100 homes and one campsite, officials said.

"It breaks my heart. Because it's such a pleasant place to live, seeing it go up in smoke is truly sad," said family caregiver Corinne Paillaube.

"It's totally apocalyptic," said Ambre Dubos, from the nearby Landes region.

Bystanders look on as fire and smoke billow across Castres-Mazamet aerodrome, near Labruguiere in south-western France (AFP/Getty)
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