More than 300,000 people have been evacuated in France and Spain due to massive wildfires — Euronews
More than 300,000 people have been evacuated in France and Spain due to massive wildfires that have swept through regions of Southern Europe. In southwestern France, in the Gironde region, more than 220,000 residents have left their homes. The fire there has spread across approximately 32,700 hectares.
About 1,400 firefighters, 1,500 military personnel, and 1,700 law enforcement officers have been deployed to fight the fires. Rescue workers are also using aircraft to combat the blaze.
Law enforcement officials have detained several people in connection with the fires in France. Specifically, two men are suspected of endangering people’s lives by setting off fireworks near a highway and a sports complex.
In addition, a 33-year-old man was detained in a suburb of Bordeaux on suspicion of intentionally setting bushes on fire. Another man will face trial for violating fire safety regulations after he was spotted smoking a cigarette in a forested area.
Since the beginning of the year, nearly 100,000 hectares of forest have burned in France. The country’s Interior Minister, Laurent Nunez, called this figure a historic record.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that five planes and two helicopters had been dispatched to assist France through the EU’s emergency response mechanism.
In Spain, about 100,000 people have been evacuated due to the fires. Other EU countries have joined the fight against the fires: Italy sent firefighters and two Canadair aircraft, Portugal sent 129 rescue workers and specialized equipment, and Greece sent 33 firefighters and three aircraft.
This was reported by Euronews.
As a reminder, French passengers who purchased train tickets to the region around Bordeaux will be able to exchange or refund them free of charge. This decision was made due to the large-scale wildfires that have complicated the situation in the area.
The Spanish government has declared a national state of emergency due to major wildfires near Madrid. The fires are spreading rapidly due to the heat and strong winds, forcing authorities to evacuate more than 10,000 people.
