French authorities have ordered 4,000 more people to leave tourist sites along the country’s Atlantic coast, expanding what may be France’s largest peacetime evacuation as a vast wildfire west of Bordeaux raged.
The Gironde fire has burned an area four times the size of Paris and forced 220,000 people to leave their homes.
A renewed heatwave was threatening firefighters’ fragile hold on the blaze, and fresh flames have erupted near Grand Crohot, a popular Atlantic beach on the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula, local authorities said.
A fleet of 23 planes and helicopters — up from 18 — dropped water and fire retardant as the mayor of Marcheprime in Gironde said France was at “war with an enemy” and called for more resources for firefighters.
French meteorological agency Meteo-France placed Gironde and Landes under a yellow heatwave warning.
President Emmanuel Macron said France was facing its most difficult situation since the Second World War, urging fire crews to “stay strong”.
More than 360,000 people across France and Spain in total have been forced to flee.
The new heatwave is forecast to last until at least Sunday.
Read MoreBritish travellers brave the smoke as French wildfires force 220,000 to evacuate
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Key Points
- France is dealing with its most difficult situation since the Second World War - Macron
- France and Spain in 'race against time' to control wildfires as temperatures set to rise again
- Mapped: The areas of France and Spain hit by raging wildfires
- France warns wildfires could burn for several months
- Prince William says wildfires are a ‘stark reminder’ of climate change challenges
Pictured: Smoke clouds seen from beach turn sky orange
20:57 , Jane Dalton
Holidaymakers defy plea to keep away
20:00 , Jane DaltonThe fires and evacuations in France have not deterred some holidaymakers.
Campsites, holiday villages, tourist residences and leisure parks around the resort of Lacanau were all covered by the evacuation order.
But as nearby homes burned and authorities urged tourists to stay away, one family told Le Parisien newspaper they had gone ahead with their trip rather than forfeit a 4,000-euro (£3,400) holiday.
Another group debated abandoning a holiday that had cost 650 euros (£550) each.
"We are at a point of fragility," Eric Brocardi, of France's national firefighters federation, told the BFMTV broadcast network. "We will continue attacking this fire despite the forecast rise in temperatures."
Pictured: Efforts to rein in French fires
19:20 , Jane Dalton
Watch: ‘I taste smoke’: On the front lines of France’s crisis
18:48 , Jane Dalton
‘I can taste smoke’: On the frontlines of France’s wildfire crisis
Firefighters say they've never seen anything like Spain's record blazes
18:20 , Jane Dalton
Firefighters say they've never seen anything like Spain's record blaze
Aerial photos reveal villages ravaged by flames
17:55 , Jane Dalton-copy.jpeg?trim=0,0,0,0&width=1200&height=800&crop=1200:800)
Satellite images show devastation across Spain and France by ‘fire of the century’
Pictured: Fire plumes turn sky orange over beach
17:40 , Jane DaltonPeople have described “apocalyptic” scenes in France as orange plumes filled the skies, turning them orange, as seen here at a holidaymaker beach in Lacanau, on the west coast of France.
Evacuation may be largest in peacetime France
17:18 , Jane DaltonFrench authorities have ordered nearly 4,000 more people to evacuate Atlantic coast tourist sites as more heat threatened firefighters' fragile hold on a vast wildfire west of Bordeaux, widening what may be France's largest peacetime evacuation.
Fire crews held the blaze in the Gironde region in check through a calm night, bringing flare-ups near coastal dunes under control and keeping the burned area unchanged at 420 sq km (162 sq miles).
Authorities called the fire stabilised, but not contained, and said it was still capable of breaking loose as temperatures rose and humidity fell.
Fresh flames have since erupted near Grand Crohot, a popular holiday beach on the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula, local authorities said.
Firefighters backed by water-dropping aircraft battled the renewed flames to keep them from spreading.
Watch: 'I can taste smoke': On the front lines of France's crisis
16:59 , Jane DaltonWatch: Smoke and flames rise near Lacanau as France's wildfire crisis intensifies
15:59 , Maira ButtEurope is on fire - will the continent’s climate change deniers finally wake up?
15:25 , Maira Butt“For the people who deny climate change, come with us to fight the wildfires,” says forest firefighter Juan in an impassioned address on Spanish TV.
“I invite you to join us. Come and see how it changes everything,” he told Malas Lenguas. “These fires are caused by depopulation and climate change.”
For nearly a week, France and Spain have battled devastating wildfires that have led to the evacuation of more than 360,000 people and the burning of countless homes. More than 116,000 hectares of land has been scorched across France alone, in what President Emmanuel Macron called the worst crisis in the country since World War Two.
Europe is on fire - will the continent’s climate change deniers finally wake up?
UN climate chief says 'alarm is blaring from every direction'
15:00 , Maira ButtThe United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell has warned that the sound alarm for climate change is now “blaring from every direction”.
“The climate alarm is blaring, from every direction. Around the world, climate-driven disasters are reaching nightmare proportions, as the costs of humanity’s addiction to burning coal, oil and gas keep spiralling upwards,” he said on Tuesday.
“These record-breaking wildfires tearing through France, Spain and other parts of Europe, forcing mass evacuations and hammering regional and national economies, follow brutal heatwaves that have dried out landscapes.
“With the mercury set to soar again this week, the awful costs of this climate crisis – both human and economic – are now reaching national emergency levels.”
'Come work with us fighting the fire': Firefighter's message to climate deniers
14:39 , Maira ButtAerial photos reveal devastation of France and Spain wildfires with entire villages ravaged by flames
14:20 , Maira ButtNew satellite images have laid bare the devastation caused by raging wildfires across France and Spain, as local officials warned the continent was “at war” against the rapidly spreading fires.
More than 360,000 people have been evacuated, with France issuing fresh evacuation orders for areas in Lacanau on Tuesday morning, affecting a further 4,000 people.
President Emmanuel Macron has described it as the worst disaster to face the country since the Second World War.
Satellite images show devastation across Spain and France by ‘fire of the century’
French government set to deliver further million FFP2 masks to residents in Gironde
14:00 , Suha KidwaiThe government has already delivered two million FFP2 masks to residents in the Gironde region, with a further million scheduled to arrive today.
Breathing in the smoke from wildfires can severely damage the body’s airways and lungs, with smoke inhalation being the leading cause of fire-related deaths, according to the NHS.
Those who are fighting the flames are most vulnerable, facing severe lung health risks from toxic smoke, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds like benzene.
In pictures: Firefighters continue to battle blaze in Gironde
13:45 , Suha Kidwai
Concerns grow as Bordeaux set to see scorching highs of 41C tomorrow
13:30 , Suha KidwaiTemperatures in Bordeaux are expected to reach highs of 38C today before climbing to 41C tomorrow, according to AccuWeather forecasts.
National weather service Météo-France has placed the south-west region of Gironde under a yellow alert for high temperatures.
With the heat is expected to peak on Wednesday, the coming hours remain crucial for firefighting efforts.
According to French interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, the wildfires across France have now consumed more than 42,000 hectares — an area four times larger than Paris.
Eight large forest fires remain, warns Spanish PM
13:15 , Suha KidwaiAt a press conference, Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez has commended the efforts of emergency services across the country, before issuing a warning for the days to come.
He said: "At the moment, eight large forest fires remain active in Spain", cautioning that the expected increase in temperatures in the coming days would make it harder to put out existing fires and increase the risk of new ones.
Mayor of Bordeaux says he is preparing for "all eventualities" as wildfire evacuations continue
13:05 , Suha KidwaiThe mayor of Bordeaux, Thomas Cazenave, says he is preparing for "all eventualities" and that authorities are preparing to "accommodate a large number of people should further evacuations be ordered."
The prefecture in Gironde has ordered an estimated 4,000 people to evacuate campsites, leisure parks and holiday villages in the surfing hotspot of Lacanau.
Overall, more than 300,000 people have been evacuated from their homes to safety in France and Spain.
On the ground: British travellers brave the smoke as French wildfires force 220,000 to evacuate
12:50 , Maira ButtBritish travellers arriving in Bordeaux on Monday braved the smoke as an “unprecedented” wildfire continued to sweep through southwest France, forcing more than 200,000 people to evacuate.
Firefighters were in a race against time to contain the blaze as it came within nine miles from entry points to the main metropolitan area, with a looming heatwave threatening to exacerbate the spread.
Steve Bray, arriving from London Gatwick, told The Independent that he and his partner, Laura Slade, were spending a couple of nights in the city before heading to a wedding in the south.
The Independent’s James Reynolds reports from Bordeaux:
British travellers brave the smoke as French wildfires force 220,000 to evacuate
Watch: Spanish firefighters battle wildfire in Castellon province
12:30 , Maira ButtMapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires
12:10 , Maira ButtMore than 360,000 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 of 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.
Mapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires
Europe is on fire - will the continent’s climate change deniers finally wake up?
11:50 , Maira Butt“For the people who deny climate change, come with us to fight the wildfires,” says forest firefighter Juan in an impassioned address on Spanish TV.
“I invite you to join us. Come and see how it changes everything,” he told Malas Lenguas. “These fires are caused by depopulation and climate change.”
For nearly a week, France and Spain have battled devastating wildfires that have led to the evacuation of more than 360,000 people and the burning of countless homes. More than 116,000 hectares of land has been scorched across France alone, in what President Emmanuel Macron called the worst crisis in the country since World War Two.
Europe is on fire - will the continent’s climate change deniers finally wake up?
‘I smell like I’ve been in a barbecue’: Bordeaux resident explains what life in city is like as wildfire edges closer
11:30 , Maira Butt“The smell is horrible, you can’t breathe,” says Ira Szmuk, a resident living in the centre of the city of Bordeaux as raging wildfires creep closer by the hour.
“In the afternoon and evening, the winds bring all the smoke into town so we can’t go out. We do everything we need to do in the morning and then we lock ourselves in the house.”
On Sunday, the city’s mayor Thomas Cazenave warned that the blazes were now only 15km (9 miles) away from the entry points to the main city, after the surrounding suburbs were evacuated on Saturday.
Bordeaux City Council officials told Sky News that they were considering plans to evacuate the whole area, which is the sixth-largest city in France.
What it’s like to live on the edge of an out-of-control wildfire in Bordeaux
Watch: Smoke and flames rise near Lacanau as France's wildfire crisis intensifies
11:10 , Maira ButtThe Independent’s James Reynolds reports from Bordeaux:
‘Fire cloud’ created by France wildfires morphing into inferno so big it generates its own thunderstorms
10:50 , Maira ButtMore than 250,000 people in southwest France have been ordered to evacuate as wildfires burn across the region, scorching more than 42,000 hectares of land.
The fire, which began in Gironde on Wednesday, is just seven miles from Bordeaux as authorities warned that the blaze may continue to burn for several months.
President Emmanuel Macron met with his cabinet on Monday morning to discuss the crisis, but has said Bordeaux will not be evacuated.
Experts have warned that the blaze is being driven by a “fire cloud”, which occurs when a wildfire generates its own unique weather system.
What is a ‘fire cloud’? French firefighters face blaze creating its own thunderstorms
In pictures: Thousands of hectares of land burned as wildfires continue
10:30 , Maira Butt
Watch: Live: Firefighters battle France's Gironde wildfires as 42,000 hectares burn
10:10 , Maira ButtMore evacuations ordered in France
09:50 , Maira ButtAround 4,000 people have been ordered to evacuate as France is to be hit by a heatwave today.
The new evacuation orders apply to campsites, tourist residences and leisure parks in the Lacanau Ocean area and both shores of the strip.
Is it safe to travel to Spain and France? Updated advice as wildfires rage
09:45 , Maira ButtTravel 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 across the two countries 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.
Is it safe to travel to Spain and France? Updated advice as wildfires rage
Two-thirds of children in western Europe exposed to extreme heatwaves in record-breaking first half of 2026, says Save the Children
09:20 , Maira ButtNew data from Save the Children has said that two thirds of children in western Europe were exposed to extreme heatwaves in the first half of 2026.
The data analysis suggests:
- 57 million children and 63 percent of the population of Western Europe have been exposed to extreme heatwaves - already more than any year in the last two decades
- Over ten million children in the UK have been exposed to extreme heatwaves in the first six months of 2026 - more than the total for any whole year since 1995
'Everything depends on how firefighters get on today,' says Gironde senator
08:58 , Maira ButtFirefighters have worked overnight to contain raging blazes across southwestern France.
While the situation appears to have been contained, the situation still remains difficult according to Nathalie Delattre, senator for Gironde which covers the city of Bordeax.
"Everything will depend on how the firefighters on the ground get on," she told BFM TV on Tuesday.
Prince William issues statement after ‘devastating wildfires’ in France, Spain and UK
08:44 , Maira ButtPrince William has released a statement following the wildfires that have taken place across France, Spain and the UK.
The Prince of Wales took to social media on Monday evening to say his thoughts were “with everyone affected” and that he was “deeply grateful to the firefighters, emergency services and volunteers working tirelessly in extraordinarily difficult conditions”.
In a post on X, William said: “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the devastating wildfires across France, Spain and the UK.
Prince William speaks out after ‘devastating wildfires’ in France, Spain and UK
Watch: Macron says France facing ‘most difficult time since WW2’
08:22 , Maira ButtSnow in Athens while France is on fire: The images that lay bare contrast in extreme weather across Europe
08:02 , Maira ButtA series of extreme weather events have battered Europe this summer, leading to vast contrasts in the weather across the continent.
In recent weeks, there has seen snow and severe flooding across Greece, while firefighters continue to battle raging wildfires in France and Spain.
In Greece, an atmospheric shift brought a rare dusting of late-July snow to Mount Olympus.
Athens saw torrential rain bring down utility lines and scaffolding, suspending operations of the capital’s suburban rail network.
Suha Kidwai reports:
Snow in Athens while France burns: Images lay bare contrast in extreme weather
Full story: Huge wildfires rage in France and Spain as firefighters race against time before next 40C heatwave
07:40 , Maira ButtEmergency services tackling massive wildfires in Spain and France are in a race against time to get the blazes under control before another 40C heatwave hits Europe this week.
In France, flames have burned through an area roughly four times the size of Paris and are now just nine miles outside the country’s sixth-largest city of Bordeaux, with no sign of slowing down. In central Spain, three separate fronts remained active in the mountains northwest of Madrid in the provinces of Madrid, Toledo and Avila.
The crisis is expected to intensify further with temperatures set to hit 40C in Spain and France within days, according to the meteorological agencies of both countries. The soaring temperatures come amid warnings the wildfires in France could burn for weeks, if not months.
Wildfires rage across Europe as firefighters race against time before next heatwave
Watch: Spanish firefighters battle wildfire in Castellon province
07:20 , Maira ButtFrance warns wildfires could burn for 'several months'
07:02 , Stuti MishraFrench officials warned the raging wildfires could burn for weeks if not months before they are fully extinguished.
Lieutenant Colonel David Annotel from the National Federation of Firefighters of France told RTL that it would take "many weeks, probably several months" before authorities could declare the fire in the south-west completely extinguished.
Emmanuel Macron has pledged the government's full support in responding to one of the largest disasters faced by France since the Second World War.
"We will be there, and together we are going to win this battle, and we will also be there over the long term," he said.
He added that when the blaze is extinguished "we'll have to replant and rebuild a different forest because this forest is not the same".
Mapped: Which areas in France and Spain are affected by raging wildfires
06:40 , Stuti Mishra
Mapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires
Macron pledges support on visit to fire zone, vows: 'We will win this battle together'
06:20 , Stuti MishraFrench president Emmanuel Macron urged fire crews to “stay strong” as they battled to bring a monster wildfire under control.
He warned that the fight will take time. "We will win this battle together," he said.
On a visit to a coordination center for the massive firefighting effort in southwest France, Mr Macron heard how the blaze raging since last week has been wildly unpredictable, transforming at times into a self-feeding fire storm as it burned through an area four times the size of Paris and forced 220,000 people to flee their homes.
“We're facing a completely unprecedented fire,” Mr Macron said, describing the situation as France's worst fire-related crisis since World War II.
He praised firefighting teams who stopped the inferno's progression yesterday after days of spreading flames that edged toward the wine region city of Bordeaux. But with woodlands still smoldering, he and other government officials cautioned that the battle isn’t yet won, with forests turned tinder-dry by successive heat waves this year and another forecast for this week.
“The weeks ahead will be hard. We must hold firm,” he said.
Photos: Charred homes left behind as wildfire continues raging in Spain
06:00 , Stuti Mishra
Cyprus minister orders probe after military detonation sparks brushfire during summer fire ban
05:35 , Stuti MishraCyprus's defence minister has ordered an investigation after National Guard engineers detonated discarded ammunition during the summer fire season, sparking a fast-moving brushfire that scorched around 120 hectares of wild growth.
Defence minister Vassilis Palmas expressed "intense dissatisfaction and strong irritation" that an engineering battalion blew up half a dozen rocket-propelled grenade projectiles at the Kalo Chorio firing range on the island's southern coast, despite such detonations being prohibited during summer months.
"You understand that I will act with all the severity that is provided for under such circumstances," Mr Palmas told reporters, adding that the engineers would "logically" have been in contact with National Guard Command before proceeding.
Around 100 firefighters assisted by eight aircraft brought the fire under control after it prompted the precautionary evacuation of two nearby communities. No homes were damaged. A probe report is expected within the next few weeks.
Prince William says wildfires are a ‘stark reminder’ of climate change challenges
05:00 , Stuti MishraPrince William has released a statement following the wildfires that have taken place across France, Spain and the UK.
The Prince of Wales took to social media on Monday evening to say his thoughts were “with everyone affected” and that he was “deeply grateful to the firefighters, emergency services and volunteers working tirelessly in extraordinarily difficult conditions”.
Read more:
Prince William speaks out after ‘devastating wildfires’ in France, Spain and UK
Spain evacuates two other towns
04:40 , Stuti MishraMore than 40 towns have now been evacuated in Spain after its interior ministry announced the evacuation of two locations near Madrid.
People in Santa María de la Alameda and Las Navas del Marqués have been sent alerts urging them to leave the area.
The wildfires have forced hundreds of thousands of people out of their homes in what the EU on Monday called “one of the biggest evacuation operations in Europe.”
France and Spain in 'race against time' to control wildfires as temperatures set to rise again
04:18 , Stuti MishraFrance was in “a race against time” to control wildfires before another heatwave this week, fire service spokesperson Eric Brocardi told The Guardian.
Weather forecasters in both countries have said temperatures could reach 40C (104F) again is some parts from Tuesday.
Spain’s state meteorological agency says the heatwave will last until “at least” Sunday, “making firefighting efforts more difficult due to high temperatures [and] locally gusty southerly winds”.
Spain’s interior minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, said Monday and Tuesday were “absolutely crucial days” before temperatures rise again from Wednesday.
Prime minister Pedro Sánchez warned: “We face difficult hours, complex hours” ahead.
Mapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires
03:00 , Harriette BoucherWhat is a 'fire cloud'?
02:00 , Harriette BoucherSuha Kidwai reports:
Experts have warned that the blaze raging in France and Spain has been driven by a “fire cloud”, which occurs when a wildfire generates its own unique weather system.
Known technically as pyrocumulonimbus, or "pyroCB” clouds, “fire clouds” are a unique phenomenon where a full thunderstorm forms within a fire plume.
They begin when intense fires release enormous amounts of heat and energy, driving huge amounts of hot air, smoke, and ash rapidly upward.
As this plume reaches high altitudes, low atmospheric pressure causes the rising air to expand and cool.
This rapid drop in temperature forces the moisture within the plume to condense into massive mushroom-shaped storm clouds.
Dubbed the "fire-breathing dragon of clouds" by NASA, these clouds can generate catastrophic conditions that accelerate the spread of further wildfires.
Read more here:
What is a ‘fire cloud’? French firefighters face blaze creating its own thunderstorms
Spanish firefighters battle wildfire in Castellon province
01:00 , Harriette BoucherIn pictures: Wildfires ravage parts of Madrid
Tuesday 28 July 2026 00:00 , Harriette Boucher
British travellers brave the smoke as French wildfires force 220,000 to evacuate
Monday 27 July 2026 23:49 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s James C. Reynolds reports from Bordeaux:
British travellers arriving in Bordeaux on Monday braved the smoke as an “unprecedented” wildfire continued to sweep through southwest France, forcing more than 200,000 people to evacuate.
Firefighters were in a race against time to contain the blaze as it came within nine miles from entry points to the main metropolitan area, with a looming heatwave threatening to exacerbate the spread.
Steve Bray, arriving from London Gatwick, told The Independent that he and his partner, Laura Slade, were spending a couple of nights in the city before heading to wedding in the south.
“Our government didn’t say anything, the French government didn’t say anything, the flights didn’t say anything and the hotel didn’t say anything,” he said.
They assessed that “the French authorities are on top of it and if it was ‘bad bad bad’, then we wouldn’t have been allowed to fly in the first place”.
“It’s all good. Wasn’t put off at all,” he said, adding: “Overall, can’t complain. We’re on holiday, so - haven’t got work tomorrow!”
Read more:
British travellers brave the smoke as French wildfires force 220,000 to evacuate
Editorial: For climate-change deniers, the heat is on
Monday 27 July 2026 23:30 , Harriette BoucherAs millions are affected by uncontrollable wildfires raging across Europe, and Britain braces for its fourth heatwave of the year, it is time we all accepted the evidence of our own eyes:
For climate-change deniers, the heat is on
'This is the fire of the century', says French mayor
Monday 27 July 2026 22:40 , Harriette BoucherThe mayor of a town near Bordeaux has described the current blaze and the “fire of the century”.
Jerome Steffe, from the town of Cestas, told Sky News that 17,000 residents had to be evacuated in previous days.
“This fire is so enormous... it's something we have never, never seen in France. I think this is the fire of the century.”
Mr Steffe told the broadcaster that the fires had been stabilised on Monday thanks to the efforts from fire crews and lower temperatures and some rainfall.
He said his town was bracing for temperatures that could clim above 41C.
Temperatures to soar on Wednesday as France races to control fires
Monday 27 July 2026 22:04 , Harriette Boucher
Watch: Distant wildfire almost engulfs home in just 8 minutes in chilling CCTV
Monday 27 July 2026 21:36 , Harriette BoucherMore people displaced as Spain evacuates two other towns
Monday 27 July 2026 20:50 , Harriette BoucherMore than 40 towns have now been evacuated in Spain after its interior ministry announced the evacuation of two locations near Madrid.
People in Santa María de la Alameda and Las Navas del Marqués have been sent alerts, urging them to leave the area.
The wildfires have forced hundreds of thousands of people out of their homes in what the EU on Monday called “one of the biggest evacuation operations in Europe.”
Mapped: Europe wildfires continue as heatwave nears
Monday 27 July 2026 20:38 , Harriette Boucher
