France has invoked the European Union's civil protection mechanism to ask for help
Wildfires fanned by scorching temperatures and strong winds swept through parts of western Europe on Friday, triggering a state of emergency in the Spanish capital region and prompting France to seek aid from the European Union.
French authorities have ordered thousands of tourists on the southwestern Atlantic coast out of campsites and holiday homes, as firefighters backed by water-bombing planes raced to control the blazes.
The total area of land burnt so far this year in EU countries is the second largest on record, according to satellite data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).
Three firefighters have been killed as southern Europe endures more severe heat, with temperatures topping 40C in some areas.
