PARIS/MADRID, July 25 (V7N)— Devastating wildfires have swept through multiple regions across southwestern France and central Spain, triggering mass evacuations and prompting the Spanish government to declare a state of national emergency.
In France, nearly 200,000 people have been evacuated to safety as raging blazes spread across the southwestern regions. According to the French Interior Ministry, approximately 57,000 residents were moved overnight in the Gironde department alone, bringing the total number of displaced people in the area to 167,000.
The Gironde and Landes regions have suffered the brunt of the destruction. Authorities ordered complete evacuations across the Cap Ferret peninsula and several districts surrounding Bordeaux as uncontained flames threatened residential communities. Further south, the fires advanced toward the town of Biscarrosse, complicating containment efforts.
Meanwhile, Spain has declared a national emergency as giant blazes draw closer to Madrid, a metropolitan area home to nearly 6.8 million residents. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the emergency command center in the village of Cenicientos near Madrid on Saturday to monitor firefighting operations and oversee response coordination.
The Spanish government confirmed that approximately 25,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes surrounding the capital, while an additional 40,000 residents have been instructed to stay indoors under confinement orders.
Emergency officials in Madrid reported that the fire has entered a critical stage, placing immense strain on firefighting crews working around the clock under extreme weather conditions.
END/SMA/AJ
