Nearly 4,000 evacuated near Bordeaux as heat threatens France and Spain wildfire response
Authorities evacuated nearly 4,000 people from tourist accommodation near Bordeaux on July 28 as renewed heat and winds threatened firefighting efforts in France and Spain.
Nearly 4,000 people were evacuated from tourist sites on France’s Atlantic coast on Tuesday, July 28, as renewed winds and extreme heat threatened to worsen major wildfires in France and Spain.
The precautionary order covered campsites, holiday villages and other accommodation around Lacanau, west of Bordeaux. Fire officials said the Gironde blaze had burned about 42,000 hectares and was relatively under control, but warned that its north-western flank could flare toward the resort area.
In Spain, authorities were preparing for another intense heatwave expected to begin on Wednesday. A fire in Ávila, west of Madrid, had burned about 50,000 hectares, while officials said a woman injured in an Almería wildfire died in hospital, raising the reported death toll from that blaze to 14.
France, Spain and Italy have evacuated about 330,000 people during the past week, according to the reporting, as national crews receive support from firefighting aircraft and helicopters sent by other European Union members.
The immediate concern is that hotter temperatures, dry vegetation and shifting winds could reverse recent progress. Residents and travellers in affected areas should follow local evacuation orders and official emergency alerts as conditions develop.
