Today08:27 BSTVar wildfire battle 'not over' as up to 1,000 firefighters remain deployedMultiple wildfires continue to burn across France, with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez telling France 2 TV on Sunday that the country is battling between 30 and 40 blazes each day.Var prefect Simon Babre said this morning that the "fight" against the wildfire at Gros Bessillon, near Cotignac in the south-east, which has burned through 4,500 hectares, "is not over"."The announcement that the fire is contained is not the end of the story; we must now continue to control the remaining hotspots," he told Ici Provence radio station, announcing that between 500 and 1,000 firefighters would remain deployed in the coming days.A French Civil Security Canadair CL-415 aircraft flies past flames burning a forest surrounding Cotignac in south-east France(Image: AFP via Getty Images)Today08:12 BSTSpain's fourth heatwave of year to begin todaySpain's weather agency AEMET has said the country's fourth heatwave of the year will start today and last until the end of the week, with temperatures forecast to hit 42C in the north-east and 39C in the centre."The wildfire danger level will continue to increase, reaching extreme levels and making firefighting efforts more difficult due to high temperatures, locally gusty southerly winds and widespread low humidity," AEMET said in a statement.The sun rises over the Mediterranean Sea as seen from Barceloneta Beach in Barcelona(Image: Marc Asensio Clupes/JNA via ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)Today07:48 BSTHere are the latest developments we're following If you're just joining us, here's a recap of the latest developments:French authorities yesterday ordered the evacuation of 4,000 more people from tourist sites in Lacanau, which is around 40 miles from Bordeaux, along the country's Atlantic coast, in south-west France.A fresh heatwave that began yesterday has threatened firefighters’ fragile hold on the wildfire.The heatwave is expected to reach its peak today, with national weather service Météo-France saying that parts of the south-west could see scorching highs of 40C.Fresh flames erupted yesterday near Grand Crohot, a popular Atlantic beach on the Cap Ferret peninsula, local authorities said.A fleet of 23 planes and helicopters - up from 18 - dropped water and fire retardant as crews fought to keep the new blaze from spreading."The situation remains complicated. That’s clear. We’re not out of the woods," Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas said.Brocas said that about 60,000 residents who were evacuated as a precaution from Le Haillan and parts of Mérignac and Eysines outside Bordeaux’s ring road could return yesterday after no fires had broken out in the three areas.A resident of Bordeaux wears a protective face mask as wildfire smoke fills the area on July 28(Image: Getty Images)Today07:28 BSTMum tells of moment she bundled daughter and pets for overnight evacuationMorgane Bonichot was jolted awake by a mobile phone alert reading "URGENT" and "Evacuate now" in the early hours of Saturday.The 40-year-old childcare worker quickly bundled up her nine-year-old daughter, their rabbit and their dog before fleeing."We left just like that," Bonichot said. "My car had broken down, so neighbors had to drive me, along with my little girl and the animals. But one of the neighbours had a cat, and with the smell of the rabbit it became very complicated. So she had to drop me off."After spending a few days with Bonichot's mother, the pair moved to a huge exhibition centre in Bordeaux that has been converted into a temporary shelter by city authorities. It has camp beds, food, medical and veterinary care, clothing, and volunteers doing everything they can to make people comfortable. They remain there."What really drives me crazy is that it makes me very worried about the future, because year after year it’s getting worse," she said. "It’s going to be a catastrophe."Morgane Bonichot, 40, takes a break from reading a newspaper in an evacuation center in Bordeaux on Tuesday(Image: AP Photo/Eva van Dam)Today06:45 BSTIs it safe to travel to France and Spain?The UK government has not specifically warned against travel to anywhere in France or Spain.It has, however, advised caution.Beach goers rest on the beach of Moutchic on the shore of Lake Lacanau (Etang de Lacanau) in Lacanau , southwestern France on July 24, 2026, as clouds of smoke rise into the sky from the Gironde wildfire(Image: Maximilien LAMY / AFP via Getty Images)Today06:40 BST'Extreme wildfires are on the rise globally'Fires are worsening in terms of size, intensity, speed and frequency, especially in the US Canada and Europe, said University of Colorado fire scientist Jennifer Balch."Extreme wildfires are on the rise globally in different parts of the world," said Balch."And that's the piece that you know has us shaking in our boots."Today05:56 BSTSpain's wildfire country's largest on recordSpain's wildfire is the country's largest on record at more than 193 square miles (500 square kilometers).Today04:44 BSTThousands evacuated in Gironde region can't return home until fire 'under control'Wildfires have been ravaging the forest north of the Arcachon Basin (Gironde) in France.The 220,000 people evacuated due to the massive wildfire in the Gironde region will not be able to return home "until the fire has been brought under control", the local prefect said.A firefighter stands before flames as a forest fire rages in Saint-Jean-d'Illac, some 30km from Bordeaux, on July 26, 2026(Image: ROMAIN PERROCHEAU / AFP via Getty Images)Today03:55 BSTFrance's National Gendarmerie patrolling evacuated areasFrance's National Gendarmerie are carrying out community policing missions and patrolling evacuated areas, in an effort to prevent attempted burglaries.Today02:43 BSTControlled burns used to halt wildfire spread in Madrid border regionMembers of the Emergency Military Unit (UME) used controlled burns to stop the spread of wildfires in the Madrid border region on July 28Members of the Emergency Military Unit (UME) utilize controlled burns to halt the spread of wildfires in the Madrid border region on July 28, 2026 in Cebreros, in Ávila province, Spain(Image: Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)Today00:58 BSTUK risk from wildfires 'remains elevated'The risk from wildfires in the UK "remains elevated", officials have said.The UK is set for its fourth heatwave, with temperatures expected to peak at 35C across southeast England on Wednesday.Parched, dry grass can be seen in parks across London following the hot weather.28th Jul23:38 BSTA recap of the blazesA recap of the the wildfires still raging in France and Spain:The fires in the hills west of Madrid has become Spain's largest ever wildfireA separate blaze outside Bordeaux in France has consumed an area four times bigger than ParisAround 360,000 people have been evacuated across both countriesBoth countries are set to face a heatwave, with temperatures are expected to be above 40C in some areasFirefighters are working to contain the blazes before the heatwave sets in28th Jul23:00 BSTNew fire reported as existing one 'not yet under control'A new fire has been reported in Le Temple, a town in Gironde, according to BFMTV journalists currently on the scene.Homes are not yet in danger and the flames are burning "outside the town centre, the town's mayor, Olivier Halard, said.Meanwhile, an existing fire in Le Porge, also in Gironde, is "not yet under control".The municipality said in a Facebook post: "The emergency teams remain fully mobilised and are continuing their operations on the ground without interruption."28th Jul22:33 BST'Now it is lives first, then homes, and after, the forest' says firefighterSpanish firefighter Javier García has never faced anything like the record blaze raging near Madrid in his two decades protecting woodlands and rural communities.“This is unprecedented,” García said. “The evolution is alarming."The out-of-control fire has consumed 500 square kilometers — an area five times the size of Barcelona — and forced 25,000 people to flee villages in the smoldering hills of Ávila west of Madrid, the capital.Before, his brigade would tackle fires in the wilderness. Now they are a last line of defence, focused on saving lives. No deaths from these fires have been reported, while 79,000 people have fled their homes from the Ávila fire, another fire nearby in the Madrid region and one in eastern Castellón.“That gives us more work and more stress,” García said. “Now it is lives first, then homes, and after, the forest.”28th Jul21:46 BST'Tomorrow will be an important day' says fire chief amid severe heatwaveThe Gironde and Landes regions of France are facing a "severe heatwave peak" says the national weather agency with an orange warning to be issued at midday on Wednesday.Temperatures are expected to be between "between 38 and 41°C" on Wednesday, with slightly weaker but drier winds, before a significant drop expected on Thursday.“Tomorrow will be an important day, one we will be watching very closely, given the extreme temperatures we expect,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Eric Pitault of the Gironde Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS 33).“We are not going to see a widespread fire across the entire affected area but we must remain very vigilant.”Fires watering the edge of a pine forest in Gironde(Image: Jeanne Accorsini/SIPA/Shutterstock)28th Jul20:07 BSTTwo towns evacuated and others in lockdown in central SpainResidents have been evacuated from the towns of La Utrera and La Velilla in Castile and Leon and are sheltering at schools in Riello due to wildfire.At the same time there is a lockdown in Garandilla and El Castro, in the province of León, where people have been told to remain in their homes due to the fire in Valdesamario. The LE-451 highway is closed between kilometres 37 and 40.28th Jul20:04 BST'All regions' of France at risk of wildfires tomorrowFrance's main weather forecaster has warned that potentially every region of the country is at risk of being affected by fires as the country prepares for the hottest and driest day of the week."Dry and very hot weather is contributing to an increase in the risk of forest fires," they wrote on X."All regions are affected by a high fire risk on Wednesday, the hottest and driest day of the week."Content cannot be displayed without consent28th Jul19:27 BSTSoil bone dry with 'barely 3% moisture' leading to wildfire spreadThe national Spanish weather agency Aemet says that there is barely 3% moisture in the soil which is leading to the easy spread of the wildfire."In the case of the Madrid-Ávila fire, the soil moisture content barely reached 3%. The soil was extremely dry,” the agency wrote on X.It shared a map of Spain with the areas in red having only 10% moisture in the soil.Content cannot be displayed without consent28th Jul19:15 BSTEvacuation of 4,000 more people from French tourist sitesFrench authorities have ordered the evacuation of 4,000 more people from Atlantic coast tourist sites, widening what may be France’s largest peacetime evacuation.The returning heat has threatened the firefighters’ fragile hold on a vast wildfire west of Bordeaux.Fire crews held the blaze in the Gironde region in check through a calm night, bringing flare-ups near coastal dunes under control and keeping the burned area unchanged at 162 square miles. Authorities called the fire stabilised, but not contained, and said it was still capable of breaking loose as temperatures rose and humidity fell.Fresh flames erupted later today near Grand Crohot, a popular Atlantic beach on the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula, local authorities said. A fleet of 23 planes and helicopters — up from 18 — dropped water and fire retardant as crews fought to keep the renewed flames from spreading.The wildfire has reignited at Le Grand Crohot(Image: SOPHIE GARCIA/EPA/Shutterstock)28th Jul18:10 BST60,000 evacuees allowed to return to their homes in GirondeResident of three towns on the outskirts of Bordeaux that were forced to evacuate over the weekend will be able to reurn home imminently, the local government announced. Around 60,000 people in Le Haillan, Mérignac, and Eysines will be able to return to their homes "immediately," local emdia reports.28th Jul17:40 BSTFrance has arrested 184 suspected arsonists since the start of summerFrance's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has announced that an individual has been remanded in custody in connection with starting the raging wildfires currently tearing through south-east France.In a post on X, the minister said: £Since the start of summer, the internal security forces have apprehended 184 individuals. For we are showing total determination to identify every arsonist: no leniency toward those who endanger lives, expose our firefighters to risk, and destroy our heritage."Content cannot be displayed without consent28th Jul16:41 BSTSpain ends evacuation order in 13 locationsThe Spanish government has officially ended its mandatory evacuation orders in 13 locations across the Madrid and Avila areas as of 5pm local time. The areas in question are:CenicientosNavalagamellaNavas del ReyRozas de Puerto RealAldea del FresnoChapineríaColmenar del ArroyoFresnedillaBurgohondoHiguera de las DuenasPedro BernardoNavaluenga sur28th Jul15:28 BSTMain blaze has stablised... but could spark up againOfficials said on Tuesday morning that the main blaze has stabilised and the burned area remains unchanged, but warned it could still burn out of control again as temperatures rise and humidity falls.National weather service Météo-France said France’s latest heatwave is expected to begin on Tuesday.28th Jul14:28 BSTMap shows where fires are raging near BordeauxA new map shows where wildfires are burning across miles of countryside near Bordeaux and the Atlantic Coast of France.More than 4,000 tourists have, today, been told they must leave the Lacanau area to the North-West of Bordeaux because of the massive blaze nearby.The wildfires in south-west France mapped28th Jul14:22 BSTEvacuation of tourist areas on French coast 'complete'The evacuation of 4,000 tourists from areas on the Atlantic Coast near Bordeaux is now complete, the area's Mayor has said.Holidaymakers were told they had to leave campsites, holiday villages, and leisure parks in the Lacanau area as wildfires ravaged the countryside nearby.During a press conference, Laurent Peyrondet, mayor of Lacanau and president of the Médoc Atlantique tourist office, said all the tourists had now "left", Le Figaro reports.“Our primary concern was to identify vulnerable individuals and those without transportation. The evacuation proceeded calmly," he said.While he wanted to protect the local economy, the mayor said he "deferred" to the evacuation order issued by the prefecture.28th Jul14:06 BSTDeer rescued from France wildfires in heartwarming scenesThe incredible moment two men rescued a deer caught up in the French wildfires has been caught on camera.In the video, filmed in the Gironde region of France, the roe deer is seen stumbling around a scorched woodland, apparently disorientated in the aftermath of the fire.Two men are then seen carrying it to safety, with one holding its hind legs and the other towards its front. One of the men warns the other to "pull the back legs" as the animal, which seems to be having difficulty breathing, begins kicking.France wildfires: Locals rescue trapped deer near Gironde Other deer in the area have not been so fortunate, with emergency workers discovering a number of scorched corpses in forest around Andernos-les-Bains.On Monday, France’s ecology minister Monique Barbut warned that wildlife had suffered "extremely significant losses" since the fires began on June 22. She said: "It is clear that the figures will be catastrophic by the end of the summer.”28th Jul12:57 BSTUK expat in Bordeaux says 'we're scared but ready'An Brit expat who lives in a suburb of Bordeaux has told the BBC she is "scared but ready" as the wildfires burn just miles away.Nicole Quilfen, who lives in Pessac, moved from the UK to France more than 25 years ago and says that she left her friend's wedding reception to get ready for evacuation.She described Bordeaux as "overwhelmed", comparing the emptiness of the streets to the Covid pandemic years."People are cancelling vacations and leaving," Nicole says. She is offering free cancellations for her Airbnb and is welcoming volunteers, nurses and ambulance drivers to stay."We see lots of military planes and helicopters, we hear sirens all day, there's a lot of noise," Nicole adds.28th Jul12:08 BSTBurnt tents and bikes pictured at campsites in south-west FranceA tent is pockmarked by burning embers at a campsite after wildfires raged in Lège-Cap-Ferret(Image: AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)A bicycle lies charred on the ground at a campsite following wildfires in Lège-Cap-Ferret(Image: AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)28th Jul12:02 BSTMap shows location of wildfires in south-west FranceA map shows the location of wildfires in south-west France’s Gironde region.Officials said today that the area scorched by the huge blaze - 42,000 hectares, or 162 square miles - remains unchanged after a "calm" night.Authorities have ordered the evacuation of nearly 4,000 people from tourist sites on France's Atlantic coast as returning heat threatens firefighters' fragile hold on the fire.A map shows active wildfires and burnt areas in France's Gironde region(Image: AFP via Getty Images)28th Jul11:40 BSTMap shows location of wildfires west of MadridSpanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said today that non-stop work through the night left him "reasonably positive", but warned that wildfire conditions could worsen as temperatures rise again.A map shows the location of the fire burning through hilly, rural terrain in Ávila, west of Madrid. The government said it has become Spain's largest wildfire on record, scorching more than 193 square miles."Look at how the valley is burned. Look at the houses, the people," David Gonzalez, a 48-year-old gardener who used his van to deliver supplies to firefighters, told The Associated Press. "We are feeling a lot of anger and helplessness. It’s something inhuman."Fires have burned 590 square miles this year in Spain - six times the area scorched by blazes in the first half of 2025, said ecology minister Sara Aagesen.A map shows the active wildfires and burnt areas west of Madrid(Image: AFP via Getty Images)‌