France Wildfires

A fast-moving wildfire in France's Gironde department has burned through roughly 2,000 hectares and forced the evacuation of about 10,000 tourists and 1,000 residents after igniting midday Wednesday in Saumos. The flames spread toward Le Porge and Lège-Cap-Ferret, prompting authorities to clear eight holiday centres and three campsites as a precaution. No injuries have been reported in the Gironde blaze, though two firefighters died Tuesday while battling a separate fire near Bordeaux airport. Le Porge's mayor suggested the blaze may have been sparked by brush-clearing machinery, and the local prefect banned all forestry work using combustion engines during the red-alert period.

Across southern Europe, fires continued to strain resources after earlier blazes hit the Var district and Mediterranean regions. In Spain, a new wildfire spread outside Madrid, destroying 32,000 hectares and prompting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to visit the affected area. Sicily battled 50 active fires while Calabria recorded around 160, some suspected to be deliberately set.

A 59-year-old firefighter collapsed and died while battling a wildfire in San Cataldo, a town in Sicily's Caltanissetta province, on Wednesday, apparently suffering a medical emergency amid temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius across the island. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi confirmed the death, and a colleague was hospitalised with heat-related illness during the same operation.

Flames reached homes in San Cataldo, forcing evacuations. Separately, more than 100 residents and 22 clinic patients were evacuated from Santo Stefano Quisquina. Regional President Renato Schifani said nearly 50 of 344 fires remained active on Tuesday, while Calabria recorded over 160 blazes in 24 hours.

About 20 municipalities lost access to drinking water, and Legambiente Sicilia called for military deployment to assist overwhelmed firefighting crews.

A wildfire that broke out Wednesday afternoon in Almorox, near Toledo, triggered the evacuation of several residential areas in central Spain, including the El Encinar del Alberche, Ribera del Alberche and Rincón del Alberche neighborhoods. The Community of Madrid activated Level 2 of its forest fire emergency plan, ordering the confinement of the municipality of Villa del Prado and closing the N-403 and M-507 highways to traffic.

Emergency services dispatched two ES-Alert mobile warnings to residents in the affected zones. Firefighting crews from Madrid and Castilla-La Mancha, including aerial units, were deployed alongside Spain's Military Emergencies Unit, which was mobilized to assist with containment efforts.

Dozens of ground and aerial resources from regional fire brigades and forestry agents converged on the area as flames advanced toward populated zones.

A record-breaking heatwave in France killed an estimated 5,764 people between mid-June and early July, the country's worst excess mortality from extreme heat since 2003. Public Health France reported that deaths exceeded normal levels by 36 percent from June 17 to July 2.

The deadliest period fell between June 25 and 27, when just over half of the unexpected deaths were recorded. France registered its hottest-ever days on June 24 and 25, with a national average of 30°C and peaks above 40°C. The Paris region saw deaths rise by roughly 80 percent. Around two-thirds of those who died were aged 75 or older.

Extreme weather also brought deadly wildfires across southern Europe. Two firefighters died in Gironde and a blaze in Var forced 400 people to flee, while Spain burned about 32,000 hectares in Guadalajara and Italy battled fires across Sicily.

Fire crews in Ireland have substantially reduced the scale and intensity of a wildfire burning on Slievenamon mountain in County Tipperary, though officials cautioned that the cause of the blaze may never be determined.

Tipperary Fire and Rescue Service, supported by aerial water drops from the Irish Air Corps and Coillte, has battled the fire for a second day. The blaze began as a gorse fire before spreading into an oak plantation, though fire breaks kept it contained. Acting Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer Carol Kennedy noted that flames increased during the day after overnight subduing, and a full assessment is planned for Wednesday morning.

No residential properties are expected to be impacted, but residents have been advised to keep windows and doors closed due to smoke. Authorities warned against flying drones near the fire and requested the public avoid non-essential travel to the area. Other recent wildfires have also affected Killarney National Park and forced closure of a section of the M6 motorway in County Westmeath.

Two firefighters have died while battling a fire near Bordeaux-Mérignac airport in southwestern France on Tuesday, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced during a question session at the National Assembly.

The blaze broke out on a grassy, wooded area outside the airport perimeter, near a long-term car park and commercial buildings in Mérignac, Gironde department. Around one hundred firefighters responded alongside aerial assets, including two civil security aircraft based in Mérignac. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said the fire had since been brought under control.

The Gironde department is currently under a red alert for wildfires, with forest fire risk elevated across the region.

Spain's third heatwave of the year began on Tuesday, with temperatures expected to reach 45°C across the southern and eastern Iberian Peninsula and red alerts issued in parts of Andalusia after earlier blazes devastated the countryside.

The Guadalajara wildfire, previously reported at 12,000 hectares, has now scorched more than 26,000 hectares, becoming the largest on record in Castilla-La Mancha, forcing the evacuation of 25 municipalities and displacing over 1,000 residents. All 17 natural parks in the Valencian Community have been temporarily closed due to extreme heat. Nationwide, more than 100,000 hectares have burned in Spain since January, double the area destroyed in the same period last year, according to European satellite data. Less than two weeks ago, 13 people died in a wildfire in Almería province, the country's deadliest in decades.

In neighbouring France, 27 departments remain on maximum fire alert with 40,000 hectares burned this season.