Firefighters are struggling to contain wildfires in south-west France as strong winds push flames towards the city of Bordeaux, with one official saying they “are far from having the fire under control.”
More than 300,000 people in France and Spain have fled fires which have been raging for days, as winds and high temperatures hamper efforts to contain them.
In Spain, where a state of emergency has been declared, a change in weather conditions has helped firefighters outside Madrid.
Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez admitted there were “complex times ahead”. Meanwhile, authorities in València confirmed the death of a man in a fire.
The man, believed to be in his 70s, was found dead in his car by firefighters as they extinguished a fire in the Salt de l’Aigua ravine in Manises, according to local media reports.
In France, a further 55,000 were ordered to evacuate late on Saturday, taking the total to around 250,000 people in south-western regions of Gironde and Landes regions.
Firefighter Captain Nicolas Braz told AFP news agency that the fire had created “its own winds – complete with whirlwinds”, adding it was “erratic and unmanageable”.
It is set to be another “difficult night,” he said.
France has mobilised its military to help with the response and extra reinforcements from the army have been sent to help firefighters by clearing brush and creating fire breaks.
President Emmanuel Macron said France would “rebuild” and his government would “be there for as long as is needed”.
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