Wildfires force over 300,000 to flee homes in France and Spain

In late July 2026, massive wildfires swept through southwestern France and parts of eastern Spain, forcing more than 300,000 people to evacuate their homes. The blazes, fueled by extreme heat and drought, overwhelmed firefighters and led to at least one death in eastern Spain. In France, the region around Bordeaux was particularly hard hit, with over 220,000 people evacuated and firefighters battling so-called "fire whirlwinds." Both countries declared national emergencies as the fires spread across large areas.