Today10:22 BSTFirefighters more determined than ever to extinguish 'exceptional blaze', says fire service"After a week of intense firefighting, the determination to extinguish this exceptional blaze remains at its peak," SDIS 33, the Gironde Fire and Rescue Service, said in the caption of an Instagram post containing images from the operation.Firefighters and military engineers resumed work early today on tactical firebreaks designed to prevent the wildfire in Gironde from spreading.Although its advance has been halted, officials have warned that smouldering vegetation and falling humidity could trigger fresh outbreaks.Authorities said 64 miles of barriers have been created. Ninety-three firefighters have been injured during the operation, the Gironde prefecture said.The cautious progress came as thousands of people began returning home after a separate wildfire in the neighbouring Landes region displaced more than 30,000 residents and tourists.French President Emmanuel Macron said yesterday evening that the Landes fire had been contained.Content cannot be displayed without consentToday09:51 BST4,000 people ordered to evacuate French tourist sites as wildfires worsenFrench authorities have ordered the evacuation of 4,000 people from tourist sites on the Atlantic coast as worsening weather threatens to intensify wildfire conditions.People are being evacuated from campsites, tourist residences, holiday villages and leisure parks around Lacanau.The Gironde prefecture said the evacuation covers the resort town of Lacanau-Océan and both shores of Lake Lacanau.People have been told to take personal belongings, follow emergency instructions and avoid the area until authorities permit a return.A firefighter works to suppress flames near Lacanau as wildfires rage outside Bordeaux, France(Image: AP Photo/Baz Ratner)Today09:05 BSTHighs of 42C to hit Spain as country battles wildfiresSpanish weather agency AEMET has announced a new heatwave starting tomorrow and lasting until the end of the week, with temperatures forecast to hit 42C in the north-east and 39C in the centre.Around 60,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in areas west of Madrid.At a sports hall just outside Madrid, displaced people sprawled on camp beds, held their heads in their hands and comforted pets.Maria Angeles Canete fought back tears as she looked around the desolation that used to be her campsite near Navaluenga, west of the capital."We lost everything," she told the AFP news agency. "We had this campsite, we had another one, and we’ve lost it all. We have nothing."Firefighters battle a wildfire in San Martin de Valdeiglesias, west of Madrid, on Sunday(Image: AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)Today08:27 BSTIntense heat to grip south-west France, weather maps showFrance's latest heatwave is expected to begin today, national weather service Météo-France has said.The highest temperatures are forecast in the south-west, where the country's most intense wildfires are raging.Much of the country is forecast to see highs of 32C to 35C today, with temperatures climbing to 37C in the south-west.Nantes and Paris are set to hit 33C, while Lyon could hit 34C and Toulouse 35C.Temperatures are expected to climb further tomorrow, with intense heat spreading across much of western France. Parts of the south-west could see scorching highs of 40C, while Paris is forecast to reach 38C and Lyon 36C.Tuesday is expected to mark the start of the new heatwave(Image: Météo-France)Parts of south-west France could reach highs of 40C on Wednesday(Image: Météo-France)Today08:11 BSTVideo: Devastating fires continue to burn in south-west FranceFrench wildfires continue to burn near Bordeaux Today07:56 BST'We are at war with an enemy,' says local mayor as he calls for more firefighting resources"We are one of the worst-affected municipalities, right on the front line of the fire," Manuel Martinez, mayor of the town Marcheprime, told outlet Franceinfo earlier this morning.He described it as a "wildfire unlike anything we’ve seen before" that officials are working to understand."We are at war with an enemy," he said, calling for more resources for firefighters.Captain Wilfried Schneider of SDIS 33, the Gironde Fire and Rescue Service, told the AFP news agency yesterday that the biggest blaze was burning between Marcheprime and Pierroton, on the outskirts of the Bordeaux metropolitan area.The Gironde prefecture said this morning that the huge wildfire remains "stabilised" following a "calm" night. Overnight flare-ups were brought under control, officials said, adding that the number of firefighters injured has risen to 93.A De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400 Dash 8 operated by the French civil defence agency drops fire retardant as wildfires rage near Marcheprime on Monday(Image: AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)Today07:35 BSTMapped: Areas where wildfires are burning in FranceThe map below shows the active wildfires currently burning across France.Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told France 2 TV on Sunday that the country is battling between 30 and 40 wildfires on a daily basis.France is dealing with multiple active wildfires(Image: incendieencours.fr)Today07:17 BSTBordeaux to see scorching highs of 41C tomorrowBordeaux is forecast to reach highs of 38C today before temperatures climb to a scorching 41C tomorrow, according to AccuWeather.National weather service Météo-France has placed the south-west region of Gironde under a yellow alert for high termperatures. The heat is expected to peak on Wednesday."We’re facing a completely unprecedented fire," French President Emmanuel Macron said last evening, describing the situation as France’s worst fire-related crisis since World War II.He praised fire crews for preventing the inferno from spreading further after days of flames advancing towards the city of Bordeaux.But he and other government officials warned that the battle is not yet over, with the fire still raging and another heatwave forecast for this week.French President Emmanuel Macron said the country is 'facing a completely unprecedented fire'(Image: AFP via Getty Images)Today06:34 BSTSpanish wildfires in photosA firefighter airplane drops water on a wildfire near the village of Cebreros, Avila province, Spain, on July 27, 2026(Image: MIGUEL RIOPA / AFP via Getty Images)Smoke billows from a wildfire near Robledo de Chavela, about 60 kilometres west of Madrid, on July 27, 2026(Image: Oscar DEL POZO / AFP via Getty Images)View of Onda, Castellon province, some 65 kilometres north of Valencia, Spain, with smoke in the background, on July 27, 2026(Image: Jose JORDAN / AFP via Getty Images)Today04:25 BSTVolunteer firefighter dies in southern France after fire-fighting tanker came off roadA volunteer firefighter died on Monday during in a preventative forest firefighting mission in the southern France, authorities said.Laurent Manson, 38, died after the fire-fighting tanker he was driving came off the road on the way to refuel, according to BFMTV.Today03:03 BSTSpain bans agricultural machinery for harvesting in some areasSpain's Interior Ministry said on Monday that the government has banned the use of agricultural machinery for harvesting in the Madrid region and the provinces of Ávila and Toledo for the duration of the national wildfire emergency.Local media has reported that the fire in Ávila was caused by a person operating heavy machinery.Today01:41 BSTOver 160 arrests in connect to fires in France since July 6Since the fire near Bordeaux broke out, five people have been arrested for lighting fires in the area, according to reports.They were accused of lighting cigarettes or a barbecue in the forest, willingly setting small trees on fire and lighting fireworks over the highway.Since July 6, there have been 162 arrests made in connection with fires in France, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said on social media on Monday.He warned that arson is a crime punishable by 15 years of imprisonment.27th Jul23:43 BSTDramatic moment smoke column amid France wildfires becomes thunderstormA monster wildfire tearing through south-west France grew so powerful that its smoke column became a thunderstorm - generating lightning which ignited a slew of new fires.Images taken following the outbreak of a fire near Saumos, in France's Gironde department, show a terrifying wall of smoke stretching into the sky for miles.The now 162-square mile blaze sparked on July 22, and has rapidly eaten away at the community.Read more here.A wildfire in France has generated a pyrocumulonimbus, scientists have said(Image: AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)The pyrocumulonimbus has been raining lightning that has caused new fires(Image: AP Photo/Caroline Blumberg)PyroCBs only usually develop in the most extreme of environments(Image: AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)27th Jul22:55 BSTWildfire tears through 1,000 hectares in CorsicaWildfire is spreading through the Restonica Valley in the Corte Forest on Corsica with 1,000 hectares scorched.French emergency services say that soldiers are "deploying 2 km of hoses to contain the advance of the flames".It adds: "Every night for the past week, between 10 and 20 soldiers remain in the mountains to ensure constant surveillance and quickly address any flare-ups."Aerial and ground resources are working in close collaboration to protect and rescue populations and our environment."Content cannot be displayed without consent27th Jul22:38 BSTMacron says wildfires are most difficult situation in France since WW2Emmanuel Macron has claimed France is facing its most difficult situation since the Second World War as the country continues to battle the 'unprecedented' wildfires.Speaking to journalists and emergency service workers following a crisis meeting earlier today, the French President said: “We have a situation that is more difficult than at any time since the Second World War.“The weeks ahead will be hard,” he added.27th Jul21:53 BSTFirefighter, 38, dies 'in line of duty' in southern France A 38-year-old volunteer firefighter has died in Bouches-du-Rhône with his colleagues paying tribute/A statement from the Saint-Étienne-du-Grès Fire and Rescue said he died "in the line of duty".The fire service said that the incident happened during a response to the wildfire, where he was "heading to refuel the CCF 4000 fire engine he was in" when, "in circumstances yet to be clarified ," the vehicle left the road.Emergency services went to his aid but he could not be saved.27th Jul21:02 BSTNo high speed trains will run south of BordeauxNo TGV trains will run south of Bordeaux on Tuesday, except for those serving Agen and Toulouse, due to the wildfires raging in southwestern France, SNCF said.The train operator has extended the cancellations covering the Gironde region."Given the exceptional situation caused by the fires," Bordeaux will be the last stop for trains heading towards Toulouse from Paris, said SNCF.TGV trains departing from Bordeaux to Arcachon, Hendaye, and Tarbes via Dax are cancelled, as are those in the opposite direction. The Intercity night train between Paris and Tarbes also remains cancelled.Firefighters tackle a blaze as wildfires rage near Le Las, outside Bordeaux(Image: AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)27th Jul20:54 BSTWildfires across southern Europe have wiped out area the size of CornwallMore than 360,000 people have been evacuated from southern Europe - and millions more have been told to avoid the worst-hit areas as fires have destroyed a land mass the size of Cornwall.Read more about it below:27th Jul19:57 BSTWildfire is nine miles from Bordeaux as mayor preparing 'for all eventualities'The mayor of Bordeaux says that wildfire is now nine miles from the city and that he braced for "all eventualities".Thomas Cazenave said: "We are preparing to accommodate a large number of people should further evacuations be ordered."France’s Interior Ministry says 13,566 fires have swept across over 116,000 hectares (448 square miles) since January, the highest annual figure in the country’s modern records.27th Jul19:52 BSTIn Pictures: Aerial views show scale of wildfire devastationA series of aerial photos of the town La Porge have captured the scale of devastation wrought by the wildfires as they continue to rage throughout the outskirts of Bordaeux.After several days of uninterrupted spread of the massive wildfire on the outskirts of Bordeaux, the situation remained generally stable overnight(Image: AFP via Getty Images)This aerial view shows damaged houses in a burnt area in the town of Le Porge,(Image: AFP via Getty Images)(Image: AFP via Getty Images)This aerial picture shows smoke billowing from a forested area near Le Porge, in southwestern France(Image: AFP via Getty Images)27th Jul18:58 BSTFire 'still dynamic, unpredictable' in southeast FranceA fire in Gros Bessillon, in the Var region of southeast France is "still dynamic, unpredictable," and "far from contained ," says Prefect Simon Babre.The fire has intensified this afternoon on the seventh day that emergency services have been tackling it.Mistral winds have worsened the conditions with authorities reporting 60 houses affected by fire - 33 of which have been destroyed, the majority of them in the town of Cotignac.A plane flies over the flames in Cotignac(Image: AFP via Getty Images)27th Jul18:25 BSTBordeaux blaze has 'life of its own' claims Interior MinisterFrance's Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez says firefighters are battling an "unprecedented" situation on the outskirts of Bordeaux and the blaze continues to rage and has developed a "life of its own."Following a government crisis meeting, Nuñez told reporters that recent weather conditions have caused the fire to behave in a "completely erratic manner" that defies typical wildfire patterns."It is autonomous, self-sustaining, and spreads in all directions. So it is a fire that's difficult to control," he said.27th Jul18:24 BSTEighty firefighters injured in French wildfiresAround 80 firefighters have been injured tackling the wildfire in Gironde which has ravaged some 42,000 hectares since Wednesday.Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed the figure adding that "relatively few requiring hospital treatment".Emmanuel Macron and Laurent Nunez discuss the crisis with fire chiefs in Bordeaux(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)27th Jul18:03 BSTPrince and Princess of Wales' thoughts with affected by 'devastating wildfires'Prince William and Kate have said their thought are with those affected by the wildfires.A statement from Kensington Palace reads: "Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the devastating wildfires across France, Spain and the UK."We are deeply grateful to the firefighters, emergency services and volunteers working tirelessly in extraordinarily difficult conditions."These events are a stark reminder of the challenges posed by an increasingly extreme climate and the importance of protecting both people and nature. W."Content cannot be displayed without consent27th Jul17:40 BSTPolice filmed feeding livestock impacted by wildfiresWildfire ripping through much of Spain is causing extreme measures to care for livestock.The Community of Madrid has already distributed 75,000kg of fodder to supply livestock farms affected by the wildfire in the Sierra Norte region.The regional government made the distribution in Pelayos de la Presa to farms in the area and in Colmenar del Arroyo to an extensive livestock operation with more than 740 hectares of affected pasture.And officers of the Civil Guard can be seen feeding cows in Cenicientos also in the Community of Madrid. A message shared on X read: "Part of the operation deployed in response to the forest fires, we continue to provide support to the public in everything necessary."In Cenicientos, we are working on tasks such as feeding the affected livestock."Content cannot be displayed without consent27th Jul17:31 BSTBlaze in south-west France 'will be fire of the century'The mayor of Cestas near Bordeaux says it "will be the fire of the century".Jerome Steffe says 17,000 residents were evacuated from the town two days ago with 42,000 hectares of land burned, and 240 houses destroyed. "In my city the situation is really catastrophic," he told the BBC."We put all our energy into creating protective firebreaks," he said "We are all scared in front of this situation."27th Jul17:20 BSTWildfire risk rises to 'extreme levels' amid new heatwave in SpainThe Spanish weather agency has warned of another heatwave which will run until Sunday as the wildfire continues to rage.Aemet wrote on X: "Special notice - heatwave. It will affect much of the Peninsula and the Canary Islands."The heatwave will be long: it will last, at least, until Sunday. The risk of fires will rise to extreme levels."A map shows the new areas on Tuesday with a yellow danger warning and orange - which is for extreme danger. These warnings are far more widespread than today.Content cannot be displayed without consent27th Jul16:42 BSTWildfire rips through more than 170,000 hectares in Spain with a fourth heatwave aheadSpain's Ecology Minister Sara Aagesen, says that more than 170,000 hectares have been affected by forest fires in Spain so far this year.This figure is six times greater than the number of hectares affected in 2025, a year the minister described as “extraordinarily difficult in terms of fires.”She stated: “We are experiencing very extreme weather. As AEMET (the Spanish State Meteorological Agency) announced today, we are going to suffer the fourth heat wave of the summer. It will begin on Wednesday and last at least until Sunday, which leads to a much higher risk of fires."A firefighter comforts a local resident in the Tietar Valley area of Avila Province(Image: Xinhua/Shutterstock)27th Jul16:03 BSTWildfire in Gironde 'stabilised but not contained'France's Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez says that the fire in Gironde is"stabilised" but not "contained" as it continues to burn but is not spreading.In an update he stated that more than 116,000 hectares have now been burnt in France during"an unprecedented and completely exceptional season".27th Jul15:21 BSTWhat we know about record wildfires in Spain and FranceHeat waves and scant rainfall in Europe have contributed to historic wildfires in France and Spain that have forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes in one of the biggest evacuation efforts since World War II.Rising temperatures later this week could complicate efforts to battle the blazes that have scorched an area four times the size of Paris in southwestern France and are raging near Spain’s capital, Madrid.Firefighters in Spain have called the blazes so violent that they could not be tackled head on. But the first glimmer of hope emerged Monday in France that the spread of a giant fire in the southwestern Gironde region may have slowed.France’s Interior Ministry says fires have swept across 115,000 hectares (444 square miles) since January, the highest annual figure in the country’s modern records. Spain’s Minister for the Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, said the 153,000 hectares (591 square miles) burned this year is six times the amount that burned through the first half of 2025.Contributing to this year’s total was Spain’s largest and third-largest fires ever in just over a week, with a blaze in the rural terrain of Ávila west of Madrid burning over 50,000 hectares. Earlier this month, 13 people died in a blaze in southeastern Almeria, Spain’s deadliest fire in recent memory.Over 300,000 people have been displaced from their homes in France and Spain in what the EU on Monday called “one of the biggest evacuation operations in Europe.”More than 250,000 people have been evacuated in France, with 220,000 of them in the southwestern region of Gironde. With France about to enter its peak August tourist season, Gironde authorities took steps to keep vacationers away, banning holiday camps for children and for people with disabilities.A total of 76,000 people have been evacuated in Spain while 30,000 others have been confined to their homes, the government said.A damaged vehicle and property from wildfire in the Gironde area of France(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)