According to The Associated Press, wildfires in France have forced 250,000 people to flee their homes. French President Emmanuel Macron held an emergency meeting on July 27 local time to discuss issues related to the fires.
On the 22nd, a fire broke out near the Arcachon Basin in Gironde Province, southwestern France, and continued to spread. According to reports, the area affected by the fire in Gironde Province has reached four times the size of the Paris urban area. The local government stated that the situation is "generally stable." Since last week, the fire has been moving closer to Bordeaux, the famous wine-producing region and the capital of Gironde Province.
The French government has deployed approximately 20 firefighting aircraft, including A400M military transport planes, in the Gironde region. These aircraft are used to spray water or fire retardants from the air. Together with about 1,400 firefighters on the ground, they work together to contain the fire from spreading towards Bordeaux. Various departments are racing against time, striving to make progress before temperatures rise on the 28th, which could make the situation even more difficult to control.
No new evacuation orders have been announced locally. However, as France approaches the peak tourist season in August, the Gironde provincial government is taking further measures to discourage tourists from visiting, including banning summer camp activities for children and people with disabilities.
The French government's emergency meeting is scheduled for the morning of the 27th, with Macron in charge. In a post on social media over the weekend, he said that the government will provide long-term support to the affected communities. "We will rebuild, we will repair, and we will remain committed whenever necessary," wrote Macron.
Meanwhile, in Spain, wildfires around Madrid have also become uncontrollable. Fire evacuations were carried out in the Valencia region on Sunday. The Spanish government stated that a total of 76,000 people were evacuated, and another 30,000 people were advised to stay at home.
