Spain declared a national emergency over wildfires for the first time on Friday, while France requested European Union assistance to battle a major blaze on its Atlantic coast, as an intense heatwave drove destructive fires across southern Europe and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.
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The emergency declaration in Spain followed multiple uncontrolled fires around Madrid and in neighbouring Ávila province, prompting authorities to evacuate more than 10,000 residents from towns in the mountains west of the capital.
The measure allows Spain's interior ministry to take charge of coordinating firefighting operations nationwide.
French authorities ordered the full evacuation of the Cap Ferret peninsula, a popular tourist destination near Bordeaux, where around 40,000 people were forced to leave campsites, holiday homes and residential areas, with many evacuated by boat.
