Bordeaux/Madrid: Wildfires advanced towards the outskirts of Bordeaux on Sunday as France and Spain battled major blazes that have already forced the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people.

French authorities said around 220,000 people had been evacuated, while more than 75,000 people in Spain were forced to leave their homes and a further 30,000 were ordered to shelter in place.

In France, fires have swept through the Cap Ferret peninsula on the Atlantic coast, a popular tourist destination, and spread across areas surrounding Bordeaux, where firefighters were working to prevent flames from reaching the city.

“The fire is about 15 kilometres away from the entry points to the main city,” Bordeaux Mayor Thomas Cazenave said.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the situation remained “difficult”.

Footage released by French police showed officers going door-to-door overnight in the municipalities of Marcheprime and Cestas to evacuate residents.

In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited fire-affected areas in Ávila, one of three central provinces hit by major fires alongside Madrid and Toledo, where more than 45,000 hectares have been burned.

Fires remain out of control

A separate wildfire in Spain’s eastern Castellón province has destroyed more than 4,300 hectares, according to regional authorities.

“The fire is out of control. It’s very difficult to extinguish from a technical standpoint, especially because of the adverse weather conditions that will continue throughout the day,” Valencia regional leader Juanfran Pérez told reporters.

The blaze has spread into the Sierra de Espadán Natural Park, an area known for its extensive pine forests and cork oak woodlands.

Scientists have linked the worsening intensity of wildfires across southern Europe to prolonged drought conditions and repeated heatwaves intensified by climate change.

According to Reuters Climate Monitor data, average July temperatures in both Bordeaux and Ávila have reached around 32°C, nearly 6°C above the historical average recorded between 1961 and 1990.

European support mobilised

Under the European Union’s civil protection mechanism, Greece and Italy have each deployed two Canadair firefighting aircraft to Spain, while Portugal has sent more than 100 military personnel and equipment.

The Spanish Interior Ministry also announced that two additional firefighting aircraft from Türkiye would arrive as soon as possible.

Sánchez said Spain would declare a civil protection emergency for the affected central provinces on Tuesday, unlocking additional funding for recovery efforts.

He said more than 150,000 hectares have burned across Spain since January, six times the area destroyed during the same period last year.

Scotland and Italy also affected

In Scotland, up to 500 firefighters have been battling a major wildfire in Cairngorms National Park since 15 July.

Residents of the village of Nethy Bridge, who were evacuated on Friday due to changing weather conditions, were allowed to return home late on Saturday.

Meanwhile, several bushfires in Italy forced the closure of part of Rome’s ring road and a motorway leading into the capital, causing significant traffic disruption.

In the southern region of Puglia, tourists were evacuated from seaside resorts in the Gargano area because of a large wildfire. Some visitors were evacuated by sea with assistance from the coast guard, according to Italian media reports.

Pope Leo offered prayers for those affected.

“In light of the devastating wildfires that have affected various areas of France and Spain in recent days, I wish to express my solidarity and closeness, and I invite everyone to pray for those affected and for the rescue workers engaged in relief efforts,” he said.