Live updates: Spain and France battle raging wildfires as at least 250,000 people forced to flee | CNN

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• Wildfires rage: More than 250,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in France and Spain as wildfires, fueled by climate change-driven heat waves, continue to tear through southwest Europe. Fires have also hit areas of Italy and Scotland.

• Massive response: Authorities in France have deployed a military cargo plane to help battle the flames. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says this weekend presents a “window of opportunity” to tackle the wildfires. The European Union has also deployed reserve aircraft to both countries.

• Climate crisis: The fires come in a year when Europe has seen far more land burnt than the annual average for the same period, according to forest fire data. The climate crisis is driving hotter, drier weather, which sets the stage for fiercer fire seasons as it parches the landscape, sucking waters from rivers, lakes and soil.