A man has died in a wildfire in Manises, near the Spanish city of Valencia, the country's interior ministry has said.
The man was found in a car in a ravine hundreds of kilometres away from the severe wildfires spreading near to the Spanish capital Madrid.
It comes as wildfires in Europe have displaced about 280,000 people this week, including some 70,000 people evacuated in central Spain.
Residents in western France have described the scenes as “totally apocalyptic” after fires in the village of Saumos destroyed more than 100 homes.
Spanish officials said that winds in Spain are to pick up with gusts of up to 60 kph (38 mph) affecting the inferno, complicating the emergency mission to contain the crisis.
On Saturday authorities ordered the evacuation of large parts of Bordeaux’s suburbs, including the areas of Le Haillan, Eysines and Merignac.
“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.
Wildfires are also affecting parts of Scotland with a major incident declared in Cairngorms National Park .
wildfires
- Man dies in Spanish wildfire near Valencia
- Mapped: What areas are affected by the wildfires?
- Over 280,000 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
- France to deliver 1.5 million masks to affected citizens
UK travel advice for those affected by fires in Spain
22:30 , Rebecca WhittakerThe 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
22:10 , Rebecca WhittakerMore 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:
More than 280,000 flee as devastating wildfires rip through Spain and France
European Commission President shares thoughts with those in 'devastating wildfires'
21:50 , Rebecca WhittakerPresident 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.
L'Europe se tient aux côtés de la France et de l'Espagne face aux incendies dévastateurs qui les frappent.⁰
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 25, 2026
5 avions et 2 hélicoptères de la flotte rescEU sont désormais déployés en France.⁰
Et 4 avions arrivent aujourd'hui en Espagne.⁰
Copernicus fournit également des cartes…
Watch: Horses run from thick smoke as wildfires spread in southern France
21:30 , Rebecca WhittakerRecap: Man dies in Spanish wildfire near Valencia
21:10 , Rebecca WhittakerA 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
20:50 , Rebecca WhittakerA 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
20:30 , Rebecca WhittakerPictured: Smoke rises as a wildfire spreads near Madrid
20:10 , Rebecca Whittaker
Spanish resident recalls panicking and taking her cat as she was evacuated
19:50 , Rebecca WhittakerA 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."
Restaurant owner says Bordeaux is 'full of smoke and ash'
19:47 , Rebecca WhittakerA 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.
Pictured: Where are the wildfires across Europe?
19:35 , Rebecca Whittaker
Reality TV star Georgia Toffolo reveals she escaped French wildfires
19:30 , Rebecca WhittakerReality 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:
Reality TV star Georgia Toffolo reveals she escaped French wildfires
Macron promises to 'rebuild' and 'repair' areas destroyed by wildfires
19:14 , Rebecca WhittakerFrench 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.
Dans ces heures où les flammes éprouvent durement notre pays, la France révèle ce qu’elle est : un peuple uni, qui se serre les coudes.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 25, 2026
Merci à nos sapeurs-pompiers, à nos militaires, aux forces de sécurité civile, à nos gendarmes et policiers, ainsi qu’aux agriculteurs… pic.twitter.com/DFzPt8vSYM
Residents near Bordeaux describe wildfires as 'totally apocalyptic'
19:10 , Rebecca WhittakerA 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.
Tour de France organisers shorten final route amid France wildfire emergency
18:50 , Rebecca WhittakerRace organisers have shortened the finale of the Tour de France in Paris on Sunday, after security forces were redeployed away from the capital to help battle wildfires near Bordeaux.
The Tour de France traditionally finishes with a processional ride to the Champs-Elysees, where the winner of the yellow jersey is crowned.
The event draws tens of thousands of spectators to Paris, but security personnel initially planned to protect the race have now been sent south to support overwhelmed fire services.
Read more here:
Tour de France organisers shorten final route amid France wildfire emergency
More than 400 emergency workers battle blaze outside Madrid
18:28 , Rebecca WhittakerMore than 400 emergency workers are battling the wildfire which is spreading west of Madrid, the capitals emergency agency has said.
In a post on X emergency services explain about 50 ground and 12 aerial units - which includes fire engines and helicopters - are working to tackle the blaze.
Actualización 18:34h #IFSierraOeste.
— 112 Comunidad de Madrid (@112cmadrid) July 25, 2026
🚒 En este momento, 50 medios terrestres y 12 aéreos, con más de 400 profesionales, están trabajando en el dispositivo por el incendio que afecta a la @ComunidadMadrid.
Agradecemos el trabajo incansable que están realizando todos los… pic.twitter.com/fREdUeS406
'Our priority is clear: protecting human lives,' French PM says
18:10 , Rebecca WhittakerFrench prime minister Sébastien Lecornu described the fires as unprecedented and said the Gironde blaze became so strong on Friday that it had begun generating its own winds.
“Our priority is clear: protecting human lives,” he posted on X, adding that evacuation orders “must be respected without delay.”
He said firefighting teams were being reinforced Saturday with the addition of hundreds of soldiers and that breathing masks to filter out smoke particles were being rushed to the Gironde region for those exposed to the clouds of potentially noxious fumes.
Les incendies qui frappent notre pays ont atteint un niveau inédit. Plus de 141 000 personnes ont déjà été évacuées en Gironde et dans les Landes pour être mises en sécurité.
— Sébastien Lecornu (@SebLecornu) July 24, 2026
En Gironde, nous sommes confrontés à un feu convectif : un incendie qui crée ses propres vents, accélère…
Tour de France final stage shortened
17:50 , Rebecca WhittakerFrance cut the length of the Tour de France's final stage on Saturday to redeploy officers to battle raging wildfires that forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people, including from some the suburbs of the wine region city of Bordeaux.
A specially adapted cargo aircraft was deployed to dump flame retardants on a huge blaze raging in the Gironde region of southwestern France.
The Tour de France’s last stage on Sunday will be reduced in length by a third, the Paris police department said, an extraordinary measure that underscored the gravity of the fires in southwest France.
The riders will race Sunday inside Paris, rather than starting from Thoiry, west of the capital, on a circuit of 89 kilometers (55 miles), down from the 133-kilometer (82.5-mile) route that had been planned.
Part of the race's security detail will instead be used “to reinforce the response efforts in the areas affected by the wildfires,” the Paris police department said.
Watch: Aerial view as authorities attempt to put out France wildfires
17:30 , Rebecca WhittakerMan dies in Spanish wildfire near Valencia
17:16 , Rebecca WhittakerA man has died in a wildfire in Manises, Valencia, the Spanish Interior Ministry said.
The man was found in a car in a ravine, the officials said.
French armed forces deployed following crisis meeting
17:12 , Rebecca WhittakerSome 1,500 French armed forces personnel are set to be deployed to France's southwest region starting tonight.
The decision was made following a crisis meeting at the armed forces headquarters in Paris.
It comes as wildfires in Europe have displaced more than 250,000 people this week, including some 70,000 people evacuated in central Spain.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said a hulking A400M military transport aircraft will join 18 other water- and retardant-dropping planes and helicopters waging an expected “long and very difficult” battle against the blaze in the Gironde.
With winds expected to shift in a west-to-east direction on Saturday afternoon, potentially driving the fire closer to Bordeaux, fire crews and authorities were digging trenches, using retardants and taking other steps to block it, Nunez said.
He said the fire was about 30 kilometers (20 miles) west of the city and lost some of its intensity overnight.
The government mobilized soldiers to join the battle and was rushing in 1.5 million face masks to protect against choking smoke.
Authorities ordered people between the fire and Bordeaux to evacuate, including from parts of the city’s western suburbs and other towns and villages.
Spain's Met Office says fire risk 'lower' than previous days but still 'very high' or 'extreme' across several regions
17:10 , Maira ButtSpain’s meterological agency Aemet has said that the wildfire risk remains at “very high” levels across vast areas of the country and “extreme” in the north-east and east, the threat was “lower that in previous days” in central and western Spain, according to an update on X on Saturday.
🔥 Este sábado 25 el peligro de incendios será más bajo que en días anteriores en buena parte del oeste y centro de la Península.
— AEMET (@AEMET_Esp) July 25, 2026
➡️ Aún así, se mantendrá en niveles muy altos en amplias zonas e incluso extremos en el nordeste y tercio oriental.
¡Extrema las precauciones! pic.twitter.com/kcK0ElIwDk
Watch live: Macron deploys military to tackle ‘apocalyptic’ wildfires
16:50 , Maira ButtWhere are fires burning in Europe?
16:30 , Maira ButtCairngorms wildfire: Locals say response came too late as ‘apocalyptic’ smoke draws near
16:10 , Maira ButtResidents of a Scottish village facing evacuation due to the Cairngorms wildfire are “upset, angry and frustrated” as “apocalyptic” smoke draws near.
They have sharply criticised the emergency response, likening it to “closing the stable door now that the horse has bolted”.
Homes around Nethy Bridge were issued a precautionary evacuation order on Friday night as the wildfire, which has been burning for over a week in the Cairngorms National Park, intensified.
Shifting wind conditions were cited as the reason for the fire's change in direction and spread.
More than 500 firefighters have been tackling the blaze.
‘Upset’ locals say response to Cairngorms wildfire came too late
Nearly 100,000 hectares of land burned since January, says French minister
15:50 , Maira ButtFrance’s interior minister Laurent Nunez has said that a “historic record” has been set for the amount of land scorched by raging wildfires this year.
He said that 98,000 hectares had burned since January.
That amounts to nearly 140,000 football pitches or an area ten times the size of the capital of Paris.
EU countries send assistance as France deploys military planes an
15:30 , Maira ButtEuropean Union countries have sent assistance to France as the country struggled to battle raging wildfires that have displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
The support includes helicopters, planes and ground teams including 40 personnel from a Romanian forest fire team, two Portuguese and two Swedish Air Tractor planes, two German and one Czech and one Slovakian helicopter as well as four Swiss light helicopters and 30 ground personnel.
Watch: Horses run from thick smoke as wildfires spread in southern France
15:10 , Maira ButtRaining ash and a tower of black smoke: Families flee ‘apocalyptic’ wildfires on the road out of Lège-Cap Ferret
14:50 , Maira ButtDriving 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.
Raining ash and a tower of black smoke: Families flee ‘apocalyptic’ France wildfires
In pictures: Evacuated residents crowd in shelters as inferno spreads
14:30 , Maira Butt
Mapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires
14:10 , Maira ButtOver 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
EU 'stands alongside France and Spain', says Von der Leyen
13:51 , Maira ButtEuropean Commission president Ursula von Der Leyen has issued a statement in the aftermath of raging fires across Spain and France on Saturday.
“Europe stands alongside France and Spain in the face of the devastating wildfires ravaging them,” she wrote in a post on X.
“5 planes and 2 helicopters from the rescEU fleet are now deployed in France. And 4 planes are arriving in Spain today.
“Copernicus is also providing emergency mapping to support the response in both countries.
“My thoughts are with the firefighters who bravely battle the flames and with all those evacuated.”
1.5 million masks to be delivered to Gironde
13:20 , Maira ButtPrime minister Sebastien Lecornu said that over 1.5 million masks would be delivered to Gironde in France on Friday.
In a post on X, he wrote: “1.5 million FFP2 masks will be delivered to Gironde tonight to protect personnel on the ground and populations exposed to harmful smoke.”
French army deployed to assist with crisis
12:50 , Maira ButtFrench president Emmanuel Macron has ordered the country’s army to help with the wildfires raging across the country after barely recovering from a record-breaking heatwave.
At least 500 military personnel were deployed on the ground on Friday, with hundreds more expected to join on Saturday to bring the total to more than 1,000.
Spanish health minister issues air quality warning
12:30 , Maira ButtSpain’s health minister Monica Garcia has warned people to be mindful of the air quality across Madrid as it is affected by wildfires.
“Due to the fires, today's air quality in Madrid is not good, with PM2.5 levels well above those recommended by the WHO,” she wrote in a post on X on Saturday.
“Avoid physical activity and staying outdoors. If you go outside and there is smoke or ash, use an FFP2/95 mask and goggles to protect your eyes. Seek medical attention if you notice difficulty breathing, chest pain, or shortness of breath.
“Pay special attention to vulnerable people around you. Stay informed through official sources and follow the instructions from emergency services.”
Is it safe to travel to Spain and France? Updated advice as wildfires rage
12:10 , 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 200,000 people, including in the major cities of Madrid and Bordeaux.
“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.
The French army has also been drafted in to help with the crisis and the EU has sent planes and helicopters.
Is it safe to travel to Spain and France? Updated advice as wildfires rage
Cairngorms wildfire: Police declare major incident as nearby homes evacuated in Scotland
11:50 , Maira ButtPolice Scotland has declared a major incident as emergency services continue to battle a significant wildfire raging through the Cairngorms National Park.
The blaze's behaviour has become increasingly unpredictable, exacerbated by warnings of drastically changed weather conditions, including stronger winds.
As a precautionary measure, homes around Nethy Bridge have been evacuated, with residents directed to a dedicated respite centre at the Macdonald Aviemore Hotel.
Access roads leading into Nethy Bridge are now closed to the public.
Superintendent Judy Hill said: “The weather conditions experienced within the Cairngorms over the last 24 hours have added further complexities to this situation.”
Spanish prime minister delivers press conference
11:30 , Maira ButtSpanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez has delivered a press conference as the country battled some of the worst wildfires in its history.
“Our priority is safeguarding lives, defending population centres, and combating the flames,” he said in a post on X on Saturday.
“The entire State, all Administrations, are coordinating all resources for an effective response to the fires and for the reception of evacuated and confined people.
“Today we are in the fight and in the extinguishing, but the Government of Spain will also be in the reconstruction and recovery of the affected areas.”
Nuestra prioridad está en salvaguardar vidas, defender los núcleos poblacionales y combatir las llamas. Todo el Estado, todas las Administraciones, están poniendo todos los recursos de forma coordinada para una eficaz respuesta ante los incedios y para el acogimiento de personas… pic.twitter.com/aZKtXsD5s2
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) July 25, 2026
In pictures: Firefighters continue to battle blaze
11:07 , Maira Butt
Photos show scale of devastation caused by unprecedented wildfires in France and Spain
10:40 , Maira ButtPhotos from on the ground show the scale of the devastation as massive wildfires devastate southwestern France and central Spain.
More than 200,000 people have been evacuated, including residents of large areas of Bordeaux, such as Le Haillan, Eysines, and Merignac.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said that the fires had “reached a level that has never been seen before”.
The French army has been deployed to assist, while officials from both Spain and France warn that strong winds are expected to worsen the fires.
Spain’s government, meanwhile, has declared a national emergency, as huge fires near the capital, Madrid, and the nearby province of Ávila forced the evacuations of 25,000 people.
Photos show scale of devastation caused by unprecedented fires in France and Spain
Bordeaux wildfires: Do not cancel travel plans over fires, urges French minister despite major evacuations
10:20 , Maira ButtA French foreign minister has urged tourists not to cancel their travel plans despite unprecedented wildfires in the country’s south west.
Éléonore Caroit, the minister for international partnerships, said that although France was facing an “exceptionally intense” fire season, tourists should visit as long as they remain well-informed.
Massive forest fires have forced the evacuation of 200,000 people in south-western France and central Spain, including 141,000 in the Gironde and Landes departments in France.
Do not cancel travel plans over wildfires, urges French minister despite evacuations
Watch: Homes go up in flames as wildfires tear through Spain
10:00 , Maira ButtRaining ash and a tower of black smoke: Families flee ‘apocalyptic’ wildfires on the road out of Lège-Cap Ferret
09:53 , Maira Buttriving 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.
Raining ash and a tower of black smoke: Families flee ‘apocalyptic’ France wildfires
