Total number evacuated in France and Spain is now 267,000
The number of people evacuated in France in Spain has now passed 250,000, according to authorities in both countries.
The French government said that 197,000 people were evacuated because of wildfires near Bordeaux, in southwest France.
The Spanish interior ministry said a total of 70,000 people were evacuated from villages west of Madrid.
Both countries are facing unprecedented blazes that are spreading unchecked despite the efforts of many hundreds of firefighters backed by water-dropping aircraft.
Key events
Villager describes ‘apocalyptic’ scenes in Cairngorms as wildfire continues to burn
Back in Scotland, a community leader in the Highlands village of Nethy Bridge has described the scenes of a wildfire in Cairngorms national park which has been burning for 11 days.
“Apocalyptic is the word for the pall of smoke that was on the go yesterday,” Sandy McCook told PA.
McCook said there was a major increase in firefighting units in and around the village, plus multiple wildfire response units.
“I think a lot of people are running on adrenaline,” he said.
“A lot of people are upset, angry and frustrated at the ongoing situation because the Scottish government said a week ago [on Wednesday] that they had enough resources to deal with it, and they said on Thursday that the fire was contained.
“My argument with that is, if you said the fire was contained and you had enough resources last Wednesday and Thursday, why are we still fighting it 10 days later and it’s still running out of control? It is still not controlled in any way shape or form.”
The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, has issued a message of solidarity with France and Spain, saying more help from the EU is on the way to aid firefighting missions.
In a post on X, she said:
Europe stands alongside France and Spain in the face of the devastating wildfires ravaging them.
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.”
French prime minister convenes new emergency meeting
The French prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, will convene a new government crisis meeting later this afternoon on the wildfires in south-west France, his office announced.
It comes after a meeting yesterday resulted in the dispatch of more troops and a military water-dumping aircraft to the fire-hit region near Bordeaux.
More from Cairngorms in Scotland, where people in the village of Nethy Bridge were told to evacuate as a precaution last night as the situation around the wildfire in the nearby national park deteriorated. The Press Association spoke to villager Richard Eccles and his wife, Patricia, who have lived in Nethy Bridge for 33 years.
They told the news agency that police came to their house at around 10pm and presented them with three options – they could either stay, seek accommodation with friends or family elsewhere or go to emergency accommodation at the Macdonald hotel in Aviemore about 10 miles away.
They said they decided to stay unless the fire gets considerably closer, which most residents in the village appear to have done.
Mr Eccles said: “We’ve got a camper van and we’re all ready and set to go at a moment’s notice.”
He continued: “If it gets smoky, we’ll go.”
He said the Scottish government’s response had been “poor” and a major incident should have been declared earlier, with military assistance brought in to tackle the fire before it spread.
Mr Eccles said: “It’s a bit like closing the stable door now that the horse has bolted.”
The Spanish government has ordered the entire Tiétar Valley in the province of Ávila to evacuate, affecting 30,000 people, the government delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín, said.
He added that there were also evacuation orders in the towns of Rozas de Puerto Real and Cadalso de los Vidrios west of Madrid.
The day so far
If you’re just joining us, here are the day’s main developments:
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Firefighters across France and Spain continue to battle wildfires that have displaced almost 270,000 people.
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In France, 197,000 people have been evacuated near Bordeaux, including in the suburbs of the city.
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The Spanish interior ministry said a total of 70,000 people have been evacuated from villages west of Madrid.
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Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said the wildfire situation near Madrid remained “complex” as he visited affected areas. “We don’t know how the wind will develop, even though temperatures have dropped,” he said.
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France has now recorded its highest-ever area of land burned by wildfires in a single year. According to data by the EU’s European Forest Fire Information System (Effis), which goes back 2006, 69,473 hectares (172,000 acres) of land have burned in France since the start of the year, compared with 66,337 (164,000 acres) in 2022.
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In France, about 500 additional soldiers are being sent to support firefighters, bringing the total to 1,000, according to officials.
Total number evacuated in France and Spain is now 267,000
The number of people evacuated in France in Spain has now passed 250,000, according to authorities in both countries.
The French government said that 197,000 people were evacuated because of wildfires near Bordeaux, in southwest France.
The Spanish interior ministry said a total of 70,000 people were evacuated from villages west of Madrid.
Both countries are facing unprecedented blazes that are spreading unchecked despite the efforts of many hundreds of firefighters backed by water-dropping aircraft.
Air quality warning for Madrid
Spain’s health ministry has now issued a health warning for Madrid due to smoke from the fires.
Spanish minister for health Mónica García posted on X:
Due to the fires, today’s air quality in Madrid is not good, with PM2.5 levels well above those recommended by the WHO. 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.
Further 25,000 evacuated from fire zone in Spain, total now more than 70,000
In Spain, another 25,000 people have been evacuated from villages near Madrid threatened by wildfires.
That brings the total who have fled to 70,000, the national government delegate to Madrid said on Saturday.
The latest evacuations took place in the Valle del Tietar area of Avila province west of the capital, as well as two villages in the Madrid region, the official, Francisco Martin, told journalists.
Away from Europe, Japan has recorded its fifth consecutive “cruelly hot day”, a new meteorological term devised this year to warn people of intense heat above 40C, as officials issued heatstroke warnings in parts of the country.
The streak marks the longest number of days in a row with blistering temperatures since records started in 2010, public broadcaster NHK and other Japanese media reported.
Six cities in central Japan including in the Aichi and Gifu regions surpassed the new threshold for “kokushobi”, which translates to “cruelly hot day”, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
By using this designation, JMA said in April that it would be able to “more effectively call for vigilance against extremely high temperatures”, although the term does not trigger any official measures nationwide.
Close to 11,000 people sought out emergency medical care in Japan between July 13 and 19, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Fourteen of those were pronounced dead upon arrival, the agency said, adding that the public must regard the extreme heat as a “disaster”.
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Wildfires in France and Spain force more than 200,000 people to evacuate
Authorities in France and Spain have said the wildfires have forced the evacuation of more than 200,000 people.
French interior minister Laurent Nunez said 167,000 people had been evacuated in France, while the Spanish interior ministry put its total at 45,000.
