Bordeaux Airport's hotel zone has been evacuated until further notice as raging wildfires threaten the city, although the airport itself remains operational.
In a statement overnight, the airport said while flights are still operational, no accommodation can be provided at the airport itself, which closes overnight. It advised travellers to look outside the evacuated areas or at the Parc des Expositions.
Raging wildfires are now just 15km (9 miles) from Bordeaux, the city’s mayor Thomas Cazenave said on Sunday.
Bordeaux City Council is considering a total evacuation of the city, a spokesperson told Sky News, as it is "currently studying scenarios for all possible ways the fire could evolve.”
It is the sixth largest city in France when including both the city proper and surrounding metropolitan area, and is home to over 1.2 million people.
Nearby areas have all been evacuated as the fire advanced amid high winds.
French interior minister said the situation remained "very unfavourable" and the fire was "moving erratically" towards the city.
wildfires
- Bordeaux Airport evacuates hotel zone over wildfire
- Bordeaux officials considering 'total evacuation' of city
- Man dies in Spanish wildfire near Valencia
- Mapped: What areas are affected by the wildfires?
- Over 300,000 people evacuated as fires rage across France and Spain
- Air quality warning issued by Spanish health minister
- UK travel advice for those affected by fires in Spain
Bordeaux Airport evacuates hotel zone over wildfire
06:10 , Stuti Mishra
Bordeaux Airport's hotel zone has been evacuated until further notice as raging wildfires threaten the city, although the airport itself remains operational.
In a statement overnight, the airport said that the decision to close all hotels in its immediate vicinity was made in accordance with the Gironde prefecture.
While flights are still operational, the airport said no accommodation can be provided at the airport itself, which closes overnight. It advised travellers to look outside the evacuated areas or at the Parc des Expositions.
Mapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires
05:50 , Stuti Mishra
Over 300,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes as wildfires continue to rage across Spain and France.
At least one man has been killed in Spain and dozens others have been injured including at least 68 firefighters in France.
Government officials from both countries have commented on the historic nature of the blaze, with Madrid’s regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso describing it as “the worst fire in the history of the region”.
Mapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires
UK braced for more wildfires as fourth heatwave looms
05:20 , Stuti Mishra
Emergency services are braced for further wildfires as the UK’s fourth heatwave looms.
A National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) spokesperson said: “With the Met Office warning that a fourth heatwave could develop this week, bringing another period of very hot weather to parts of the UK, fire and rescue services remain on alert and are continuing to prepare for renewed wildfire risk.”
Battling nearly 20 wildfires at once demonstrates “the scale of the challenge posed by the prolonged hot, dry conditions”, they added.
“Most wildfires are preventable and we are asking everyone to play their part in helping to protect our communities, wildlife and natural spaces, while easing the pressure on firefighters who have already faced an exceptionally challenging summer.”
Temperatures cooled, winds picked up and a smattering of rain fell for many during the weekend.
But parts of southern England will yet again meet their heatwave criteria on Wednesday, which could reach highs of 32C or 33C, and more will on Thursday
Macron calls crisis meeting
04:56 , Stuti Mishra
French president Emmanuel Macron will a hold a crisis cabinet meeting today as wildfires threaten the south-western city of Bordeaux.
He said on Saturday that France would "rebuild" and his government would "be there for as long as is needed".
Tens of thousands of people have already been evacuated from Bordeaux's surrounding region, with France's interior minister Laurent Nuñez saying the situation remained "very unfavourable" and the fire was "moving erratically" towards the city.
Fire 'moving in the direction of the city area,' says French interior minister
04:23 , Stuti Mishra
Wildfires advanced towards the outskirts of the historic French city of Bordeaux, at the heart of the country's winelands, yesterday as France and Spain battled blazes that have already forced the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people.
About 220,000 people have been evacuated in France, while in Spain more than 75,000 people have been evacuated and a further 30,000 ordered to shelter in place, authorities said.
In France, fires have ravaged the Cap Ferret peninsula on the Atlantic coast, a popular tourist destination, and spread through areas surrounding Bordeaux, where firefighters were trying to prevent the flames from reaching the regional capital.
Bordeaux Mayor Thomas Cazenave said the fire was about 15 km (9 miles) away from the entry points to the main city.
"We have a fire that is not under control and which is moving in the direction of the city area," Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told France 2 TV yesterday. "The overall situation is very unfavourable, we are in a situation that is unprecedented."
Watch: Military plane tackles ‘apocalyptic’ wildfires across France YT drafts
03:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Pictured: Wildfires destroy over 100 homes in southwest France
02:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
‘I smell like I’ve been in a barbecue’: Bordeaux resident explains what life in city is like as wildfire edges closer
01:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
“The smell is horrible, you can’t breathe,” says Ira Szmuk, a resident living in the centre of the city of Bordeaux as raging wildfires creep closer by the hour.
“In the afternoon and evening, the winds bring all the smoke into town so we can’t go out. We do everything we need to do in the morning and then we lock ourselves in the house.”
Read more here:
What it’s like to live on the edge of an out-of-control wildfire in Bordeaux
Arsonists spread Italian wildfires by tying flammable rags to cats’ tails
Monday 27 July 2026 00:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Arsonists tied flammable rags to cats’ tails and set them alight to ignite wildfires in Italy.
Deadly wildfires have continued to sweep across Europe, with extreme weather warnings and record temperatures devastating the continent.
However, not all of the blazes are believed to have been natural, with authorities investigating the “inhumane” method used at Pollino national park in Calabria, southern Italy.
Stray cats, who were released in the field to spread the blaze, were found amongst the smouldering remains.
“This is the work of a mind that is not merely malicious, but truly criminal,” said Domenico Costarella, of Calabria’s civil protection agency.
The Italian Association for the Defence of Animals and the Environment has called for a criminal investigation and offered a €1,000 reward for information that could help identify those who set the cats alight.
Watch here:
Arsonists spreading Italian wildfires by tying flammable rags to cats
Wildfire forces another 55,000 people to evacuate in southwest France
Sunday 26 July 2026 23:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
A raging wildfire in southwest France forced the evacuation of 55,000 people overnight Sunday, taking the total forced out of their homes to 220,000 as the flames have crept ever closer to the wine region city of Bordeaux.
Authorities in the Gironde region, where Bordeaux is located, issued overnight evacuation orders for five more localities including some on the city’s approaches.
Wildfire forces another 55,000 people to evacuate in southwest France
Three fires started 'deliberately' in South of France
Sunday 26 July 2026 22:50 , Rebecca Whittaker
Three fires in the South of France were started by "deliberate arson acts", officials in Var have said.
It comes as more than 1,000 firefighters have been battling the fire at Gros-Bessillon mountain for six days.
In a post on X the Var prefecture said: “Enough is enough.”
“Simon Babre, préfet du Var, strongly condemns these deliberate arson acts, which constitute unacceptable and criminally reprehensible actions,” it added.
Ça suffit ! Alors que plus de 1 000 sapeurs-pompiers combattent jour et nuit depuis 6 jours le feu du Gros- Bessillon, 3 départs de feu quasi simultanés viennent d’être signalés à quelques kilomètres plus au nord, sur la commune de Varages.
— Préfet du Var (@Prefet83) July 26, 2026
Simon Babre, préfet du Var, condamne… pic.twitter.com/5vsI4ZpOXI
Tourists urged to stay away as wildfire spreads towards Bordeaux
Sunday 26 July 2026 22:40 , Rebecca Whittaker
Tourists have been urged to stay away from Nouvelle-Aquitaine which is popular for its Atlantic beaches and some of France's largest woodlands.
One of France’s biggest wildfires is in Nouvelle-Aquitaine and it has spread towards Bordeaux, pushing officials to urge holiday-makers to stay away.
Sophie Brocas, the region's prefect, said: "We urge tourists not to come to this region, at least until the situation is under control.
"I encourage tourists who are already here to consider another destination."
Pictured: Forest fire rages in Saint-Jean-d'Illac, near Bordeaux
Sunday 26 July 2026 22:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
Firefighters battle a forest fire in Saint-Jean-d'Illac, some 30km from Bordeaux.
The 220,000 people evacuated due to the massive wildfire in France's Gironde region will not be able to return home "until the fire has been brought under control", the local prefect said.
A normal workday has also been ruled out on Monday in the affected towns, as the situation could worsen on Tuesday due to an expected rise in temperatures.
Tourists evacuate from Italian seaside resort
Sunday 26 July 2026 22:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Wildfires in Italy's southern Puglia region has also forced tourists to evacuate.
A seaside resort in the region was evacuated due to a large wildfire in the Gargano area, the national fire department said.
More fires led to the temporary suspension of railway traffic around the city of Acireale in eastern Sicily and on the eastern Adriatic line south of the city of Termoli, rail company RFI said.
Pope Leo, speaking from his summer residence of Castel Gandolfo outside Rome, offered spiritual support.
"In light of the devastating wildfires that have affected various areas of France and Spain in recent days, I wish to express my solidarity and closeness, and I invite everyone to pray for those affected and for the rescue workers engaged in relief efforts," he said.
Around 300,000 people have been forced to evacuate in France and Spain
Sunday 26 July 2026 21:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
About 220,000 people have been evacuated in France, while in Spain more than 75,000 people have been evacuated and a further 30,000 ordered to shelter in place, authorities said.
In France, fires have ravaged the Cap Ferret peninsula on the Atlantic coast, a popular tourist destination, and spread through areas surrounding Bordeaux, where firefighters were trying to prevent the flames from reaching the regional capital.
Bordeaux Mayor Thomas Cazenave said the fire was about 15 km (9 miles) away from the entry points to the main city.
"We have a fire that is not under control and which is moving in the direction of the city area," Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told France 2 TV on Sunday evening.
"The overall situation is very unfavourable, we are in a situation that is unprecedented."
Three men arrested on suspicion of endangering lives
Sunday 26 July 2026 21:12 , Rebecca Whittaker
Three men in Gironde have been arrested on suspicion of endangering lives.
Fires in the region saw about 42,000 hectares burned in a few days.
According to prosecutors two of the men who were arrested are accused of setting off fireworks.
Watch: French police rush families from homes as new blaze breaks out: 'The fire is coming'
Sunday 26 July 2026 21:06 , Rebecca Whittaker
‘I smell like I’ve been in a barbecue’: Bordeaux resident explains what life in city is like as wildfire edges closer
Sunday 26 July 2026 18:30 , Maira Butt
“The smell is horrible, you can’t breathe,” says Ira Szmuk, a resident living in the centre of the city of Bordeaux as raging wildfires creep closer by the hour.
“In the afternoon and evening, the winds bring all the smoke into town so we can’t go out. We do everything we need to do in the morning and then we lock ourselves in the house.”
On Sunday, the city’s mayor Thomas Cazenave warned that the blazes were now only 15km (9 miles) away from the entry points to the main city, after the surrounding suburbs were evacuated on Saturday.
What it’s like to live on the edge of an out-of-control wildfire in Bordeaux
Is it safe to travel to Spain and France? Updated advice as wildfires rage
Sunday 26 July 2026 18:00 , Maira Butt
Travel advice has been updated for Spain and France as wildfires rage through both countries.
The UK government is advising people in Spain to avoid travelling through affected areas of Madrid and Avila, while in France, people are being advised to follow the advice of local authorities and check with their accommodation or travel provider before travelling.
The wildfires have forced the evacuation of more than 300,000 people, and authorities are considering the total evacuation of the city of Bordeaux.
“The fires which are hitting our country have reached a level that has never been seen before,” French prime minister Sebastien Lecornu said.
Is it safe to travel to Spain and France? Updated advice as wildfires rage
Wildfire forces another 55,000 people to evacuate in southwest France
Sunday 26 July 2026 17:30 , Maira Butt
Wildfire forces another 55,000 people to evacuate in southwest France
In pictures: Firefighters continue to fight raging fires
Sunday 26 July 2026 17:00 , Maira Butt
At least 75 firefighters have been injured as they continue to fight raging fires across France.
Mapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires
Sunday 26 July 2026 16:30 , Maira Butt
Over 300,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes as wildfires continue to rage across Spain and France.
At least one man has been killed in Spain and dozens others have been injured including at least 68 firefighters in France.
Government officials from both countries have commented on the historic nature of the blaze, with Madrid’s regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso describing it as “the worst fire in the history of the region”.
“The fires which are hitting our country have reached a level that has never been seen before,” French prime minister Sebastien Lecornu wrote on X on Saturday.
Lecornu promised that over 1.5 million face masks would be provided as even areas unaffected by the worst of the blaze saw air quality deteriorate and smoke spread.
Mapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires
French police rush families from homes as new blaze breaks out: 'The fire is coming'
Sunday 26 July 2026 16:01 , Maira Butt
Where are fires burning in Europe?
Sunday 26 July 2026 15:40 , Maira Butt
In pictures: Evacuated residents crowd in shelters as inferno spreads
Sunday 26 July 2026 15:20 , Maira Butt
Restaurant owner says Bordeaux is 'full of smoke and ash'
Sunday 26 July 2026 15:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
A British restaurant owner in Bordeaux said the city is “full of smoke and ash” and residents are wearing masks if they go outside.
Lance Attwood, 58, who owns Sweeney Todd’s in Bordeaux city centre, told the Press Association: “It’s not really conducive to coming out.
“The town is full of smoke and ash, so there’s a big drop in business, people are just walking around town in masks.
“Our biggest concern is people’s safety and the safety of the emergency services.”
Mr Attwood, who has lived in Bordeaux for 25 years, said it was “too soon” for friends who had been evacuated to want to talk to the media about their experiences, with their focus instead on recovering sentimental belongings and finding alternative living arrangements.
He encouraged people to donate dry food with a long shelf-life to local charities to help those affected.
Raining ash and a tower of black smoke: Families flee ‘apocalyptic’ wildfires on the road out of Lège-Cap Ferret
Sunday 26 July 2026 14:40 , Maira Butt
Driving away from her home in the wealthy resort town of Lège-Cap Ferret, Marion Girault-Rime was suddenly overwhelmed by the smell of smoke.
She was left speechless as cinders blew across her car windscreen like “raining ash”, with bright-red flames erupting and a towering pillar of black smoke billowing 20km in the distance. The scene was “frightening and spectacular”, she says.
“I still stink of smoke,” the 53-year-old marketing business owner tells The Independent from her friend’s home in Bordeaux. “My car stinks of smoke. I don’t think I will ever get the smell out.”
Marion, like her neighbours, was awoken at around 4am on Friday morning by an emergency alert on her phone that instructed every citizen in the town to evacuate immediately.
Raining ash and a tower of black smoke: Families flee ‘apocalyptic’ France wildfires
In pictures: Drone shots show homes burned to the ground in Gironde, France
Sunday 26 July 2026 14:30 , Maira Butt
Firefighters 'overwhelmed' by inferno and 'now concerned' about Bordeaux
Sunday 26 July 2026 14:18 , Maira Butt
The head of Gironde’s firefighters union has said that emergency services are “overwhelmed” by the blazes raging through France.
Sebastien Berge said on Sunday: “The firefighters are overwhelmed. When there's a fire of this magnitude, it creates its own weather pattern...it's difficult to monitor.
“Especially when there's a fire front that stretches for more than 20km.
“When you see how far it's spreading, I think we can now be concerned about the city of Bordeaux.”
Bordeaux fire was 'generating its own wind and spreading erratically', says French minister
Sunday 26 July 2026 14:04 , Maira Butt
France’s interior minister Laurent Nunez has provided an update following another “tough night” of wildfires.
“The situation remains highly unfavourable,” he wrote in a post on X on Sunday.
“At the start of the night, in Gironde, the fire became extremely virulent and unpredictable again, generating its own wind and spreading erratically toward the Bordeaux metropolitan area.
“By the end of the night, it had calmed down somewhat..
He said that the burned area now stands at 42,300 hectares of land and that an additional 50,000 people were evacuated.
Watch: Aerial view as authorities attempt to put out France wildfires
Sunday 26 July 2026 13:40 , Maira Butt
In pictures: Firefighting planes make drops over raging blazes in Spain
Sunday 26 July 2026 13:20 , Maira Butt
Comment: Military bosses say climate change is now a national security threat – ministers must not ignore them
Sunday 26 July 2026 13:00 , Maira Butt
For the first time ever, the British military has warned the government that climate change and the damage we have done to nature seriously threaten our national security.
These are not tree-hugging environmental campaigners, but top-level, hard-bitten military men carrying out their official duty of telling the truth to power.
Their report so frightened government ministers, and showed them to be so unprepared, that they banned its publication. Instead, the public was only allowed a pared-down version, with all the stark reality removed.
That tactic also suited the opposition. Normally, the Tories would be carrying out a relentless campaign to get the full truth. However, that would undermine their current downplaying of climate disruption, so they have been largely silent.
Climate change is now a national security threat – ministers must act
In pictures: Spain's King and Queen visit wildfire evacuees
Sunday 26 July 2026 12:40 , Maira Butt
Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia speak with Mayor of Villamanta Mariano Nunez Munoz as they visit the evacuees from the Madrid wildfire.
Watch: Police evacuate family as France wildfires rage saying, ‘Don’t take your belongings, just go’
Sunday 26 July 2026 12:20 , Maira Butt
Over 2,500 firefighters and 1,500 military deployed to battle France fires
Sunday 26 July 2026 12:10 , Maira Butt
France has deployed significant resources to tackle wildfires across the country, the country’s interior minister Laurent Nunez said in an update on Sunday.
“In total, 2,500 firefighters are mobilized, including a Swiss team, along with 1,500 military personnel and nearly 1,200 police and gendarmes who are carrying out evacuations and assisting with rescue and securing operations, not to mention the invaluable support of 450 volunteers from accredited civil security associations,” he wrote in a post on X.
“Finally, 18 aerial resources have been mobilised since this morning, and the A400M will be deployed once again.”
The A400M plane dropped the first liquid retardant drop from its hold on Saturday.
“A world first, made possible in just fifteen days thanks to the exemplary mobilisation of Civil Security, the armed forces, and Airbus,” wrote prime minister Sebastien Lecornu on X on Saturday.
Gironde advises tourists to 'stay away' for the next 24 to 48 hours
Sunday 26 July 2026 12:01 , Maira Butt
French authorities have advised tourists to stay away from Gironde amid raging wildfires plaguing the region.
“To ensure your safety, the prefecture of Gironde and French state authorities are currently advising against travel to the department in order to prevent congestion on local roads,” read a post on the social media page for Visit Bordeaux.
“We recommend postponing your stay and waiting 24 to 48 hours while closely following official updates and communications.”
Fires just 15km from Bordeaux as officials consider ‘total evacuation of city if necessary’
Sunday 26 July 2026 11:47 , Maira Butt
Raging wildfires are now just 15km from Bordeaux, the city’s mayor Thomas Cazenave said on Sunday, as the council considers a total evacuation of the region.
"It's about 15 kilometres away from the entry points to the main city," Cazenave said in an update on Sunday.
Bordeaux City Council is considering a total evacuation of the city, a spokesperson told Sky News, as it is "currently studying scenarios for all possible ways the fire could evolve.”
It is the sixth largest city in France when including both the city proper and surrounding metropolitan area, and is home to over 1.2 million people.
Nearby areas have all been evacuated as the fire advanced amid high winds.
Is it safe to travel to Spain and France? Updated advice as wildfires rage
Sunday 26 July 2026 11:30 , Maira Butt
Travel advice has been updated for Spain and France as wildfires rage through both countries.
The UK government is advising people in Spain to avoid travelling through affected areas of Madrid and Avila, while in France, people are being advised to follow the advice of local authorities and check with their accommodation or travel provider before travelling.
The wildfires have forced the evacuation of more than 300,000 people, and authorities are considering the total evacuation of the city of Bordeaux.
“The fires which are hitting our country have reached a level that has never been seen before,” French prime minister Sebastien Lecornu said.
Is it safe to travel to Spain and France? Updated advice as wildfires rage
Spanish resident takes cat and leaves home
Sunday 26 July 2026 11:10 , Maira Butt
Residents have been forced to evacuate their homes as the fire advances and smoke reaches their towns. One person described taking her pet cat with her in the emergency.
“I saw clouds of smoke rising into the sky. That's when I realised something was happening,” Rodika, 60, from the small town of Fresnedillas de La Oliva, told Reuters.
“I think we all panicked. Then we received the message telling us to get ready, take whatever valuables we could, whatever was most important. I took my cat, and we left.”
Watch: Military plane tackles ‘apocalyptic’ wildfires across France YT drafts
Sunday 26 July 2026 10:50 , Maira Butt
French Gendarmerie rescues family from village near new fire outbreak
Sunday 26 July 2026 10:30 , Maira Butt
France’s gendarmerie, a branch of the French armed forces, have shared footage of an evacuation of a family from a village near a new fire outbreak.
“All state services are fully mobilised to protect the population and property, day and night,” it wrote in a post on X alongside the footage.
#Incendies 🔥 Les #gendarmes évacuent la population, dont une famille, d'un village à proximité d'un nouveau départ de feu.
— Gendarmerie nationale (@Gendarmerie) July 25, 2026
Tous les services de l'État sont pleinement mobilisés pour protéger la population et les biens, jour et nuit.#VousProtéger pic.twitter.com/C43L2DAnu6
Bordeaux fire was 'generating its own wind and spreading erratically', says French minister in new update
Sunday 26 July 2026 10:10 , Maira Butt
France’s interior minister Laurent Nunez has provided an update following another “tough night” of wildfires.
“The situation remains highly unfavourable,” he wrote in a post on X on Sunday.
“At the start of the night, in Gironde, the fire became extremely virulent and unpredictable again, generating its own wind and spreading erratically toward the Bordeaux metropolitan area.
“By the end of the night, it had calmed down somewhat..
He said that the burned area now stands at 42,300 hectares of land and that an additional 50,000 people were evacuated.
Where are fires raging in France as authorities consider Bordeaux evacuation?
Sunday 26 July 2026 10:00 , Maira Butt
In pictures: Fires continue to rage west of Bordeaux
Sunday 26 July 2026 09:48 , Maira Butt
Mapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires
Sunday 26 July 2026 09:30 , Maira Butt
Over 280,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes as wildfires continue to rage across Spain and France.
Government officials from both countries have commented on the historic nature of the blaze, with Madrid’s regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso describing it “the worst fire in the history of the region”.
“The fires which are hitting our country have reached a level that has never been seen before,” French prime minister Sebastien Lecornu wrote on X on Saturday.
Lecornu promised that over 1.5 million face masks would be provided as even areas unaffected by the worst of the blaze saw air quality deteriorate and smoke spread.
Below we look at the areas affected and evacuated as a result of the wildfires.
Mapped: The areas in France and Spain affected by raging wildfires
Bordeaux officials considering 'total evacuation' of city
Sunday 26 July 2026 09:00 , Maira Butt
Bordeaux City Council is exploring options to deal with the various ways the wildfires nearby could evolve, including a total evacuation of the city, a spokesperson told Sky News.
The Council is "currently studying scenarios for all possible ways the fire could evolve", they said, which includes a total evacuation of the city, if needed.
Surrounding areas have been evacuated as the fire advanced amid high winds. The city is the sixth largest in France.
Watch: Aerial view as authorities attempt to put out France wildfires
Sunday 26 July 2026 08:30 , Maira Butt
Oregon fire looms near town as fourth firefighter dies weeks after Colorado blaze
Sunday 26 July 2026 08:00 , Namita Singh
As dry, windy weather fueled a big wildfire near a city in central Oregon, a fourth firefighter died after he and several colleagues last month were overcome by a fast-moving wildfire near the Colorado-Utah border, authorities said Saturday.
Nathan Matthews, 43, of Lincoln, Nebraska, died Friday, the federal Interior Department said in a statement. Meanwhile, several fierce wildfires in a summer of big ones continued burning across the western US.
One of the worst – and the one deemed top priority for firefighting efforts – was just a few miles (5km) north of Sisters, a central Oregon city of about 3,000 people.
Wildfire spreads to northeastern Algerian province
Sunday 26 July 2026 06:00 , Namita Singh
A wildfire spread in Haddada municipality in Algeria's northeastern Souk Ahras province on Saturday, as firefighters responded to the blaze.
Footage released by Algeria's Civil Protection showed firefighters battling flames in a forested area as smoke rose above the wildfire.
High winds make fighting Spanish wildfires harder, officials say
Sunday 26 July 2026 05:04 , Namita Singh
Winds in Spain with gusts of up to 60kmph (38mph) are complicating the fight against out-of-control wildfires west of Madrid.
Two separate wildfires in the Madrid region combined on Friday and became one huge blaze, but so far they have not merged with another in Avila, in the neighbouring Castilla y Leon region.
The fires have so far forced more than 30,000 people to flee their homes in the Madrid region and more than 20,000 to be confined at home, the ministry said on Saturday, in what officials have called the region's worst fire on record.
Overnight weather conditions had helped the firefighters.
"The change in weather conditions (less wind, higher humidity, and lower temperature) has greatly benefited the fight against the forest fires, which have advanced little and decreased in intensity," the central government in Madrid said on Saturday morning.
Plumes of thick smoke could be seen in the sky west of the capital. More than 9,000 hectares have burned in the wildfires in the Madrid region, authorities said.
Sunday's grand finale of Tour de France to be shortened
Sunday 26 July 2026 05:01 , Namita Singh
Sunday's grand finale of the Tour de France, ending in Paris, will be shortened due to the impact of security forces being redeployed to battle wildfires near Bordeaux, organisers and police said.
The Tour's final leg – Stage 21 when cyclists enter Paris and do laps around the Champs Elysees – will be shortened to 89km instead of the 133km originally planned.
"As numerous wildfires are currently affecting France, particularly the Gironde region, emergency services are fully mobilised to combat the blazes, while internal security forces are working to secure the affected areas and protect the population," the Paris police and the event's organisers said in a joint statement.
"In light of this, the Interior Ministry has decided to redeploy a portion of the internal security forces initially mobilised to ensure security for the final stage of the Tour de France, in order to reinforce the response efforts in the areas affected by the wildfires."
Watch: Homes go up in flames as wildfires tear through Spain
Sunday 26 July 2026 03:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Pictured: Wildfires sweep across France and Spain
Sunday 26 July 2026 02:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Wildfire leads to evacuations in some suburbs of the French city of Bordeaux
Sunday 26 July 2026 01:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Authorities in France evacuated some suburbs of Bordeaux on Saturday as a massive wildfire shifted toward the city famous for its wines.
The prefect of the Gironde region that includes Bordeaux ordered the evacuation in the early hours of Saturday, covering parts of three of the city’s western suburbs, including its airport.
Read more here:
Wildfire leads to evacuations in some suburbs of the French city of Bordeaux
Restaurant owner says Bordeaux is 'full of smoke and ash'
Saturday 25 July 2026 23:50 , Rebecca Whittaker
A British restaurant owner in Bordeaux said the city is “full of smoke and ash” and residents are wearing masks if they go outside.
Lance Attwood, 58, who owns Sweeney Todd’s in Bordeaux city centre, told the Press Association: “It’s not really conducive to coming out.
“The town is full of smoke and ash, so there’s a big drop in business, people are just walking around town in masks.
“Our biggest concern is people’s safety and the safety of the emergency services.”
Mr Attwood, who has lived in Bordeaux for 25 years, said it was “too soon” for friends who had been evacuated to want to talk to the media about their experiences, with their focus instead on recovering sentimental belongings and finding alternative living arrangements.
He encouraged people to donate dry food with a long shelf-life to local charities to help those affected.
Watch: Aerial view as authorities attempt to put out France wildfires
Saturday 25 July 2026 23:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
Pictured: Cairngorms wildfire causes billowing smoke
Saturday 25 July 2026 23:10 , Rebecca Whittaker
A wildfire broke out in the Cairngorms National Park last week.
A fire near the village of Glenmore, led to residents and campsites being evacuated.
It covered an area of about six square kilometres of heather and small trees at its height.
More than 100 firefighters have been mobilised to the incident alongside specialist wildfire appliances, all-terrain vehicles and partner agencies.
Homes around Nethy Bridge were also issued a precautionary evacuation order on Friday night as the wildfire intensified.
Residents told to return home after wildfire in Cairngorms National Park
Saturday 25 July 2026 22:57 , Rebecca Whittaker
Residents of Nethy Bridge have been told they can return to their homes, following a large fire in the Cairngorms National Park.
Superintendent Judy Hill, of Police Scotland, said: “Thanks to the efforts of fire crews, gamekeepers, contractors, partners and many others over the past 24 hours, there is no longer the immediate threat which prompted the evacuation of properties in Nethy Bridge.
“We are grateful to the community for their support and understanding in what has been a period of concern and disruption.”
First Minister John Swinney welcomed the news, saying: “Efforts to tackle the wildfire in the Cairngorms are in their tenth day, and changeable weather conditions have presented a range of challenges for those on the ground. I praise their resilience and tireless efforts to bring it under control.
“With residents in Nethy Bridge now able to return to their homes, Police Scotland have lifted the Major Incident declaration.
“I want to stress however, that the Scottish Government, the emergency services and all relevant authorities will continue to treat this wildfire, as has been the case since its onset, with the utmost seriousness and necessary resources until the last flames are out.”
Germany sends military aircraft to help with wildfires in France
Saturday 25 July 2026 22:55 , Rebecca Whittaker
Germany is set to send military aircraft to help France respond to the wildfires, Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said.
A400 military aircraft, helicopters and rescue teams are on their way to France.
Is it safe to travel to Spain and France? Updated advice as wildfires rage
Saturday 25 July 2026 22:50 , Rebecca Whittaker
Travel advice has been updated for Spain and France as wildfires rage through both countries.
The UK government is advising people in Spain to avoid travelling through affected areas of Madrid and Avila, while in France, people are being advised to follow the advice of local authorities and check with their accommodation or travel provider before travelling.
Read more here:
Is it safe to travel to Spain and France? Updated advice as wildfires rage
UK travel advice for those affected by fires in Spain
Saturday 25 July 2026 22:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
The government website provides the following advice for those affected by wildfires in Madrid and Avila in Spain:
“Spanish authorities have declared a national emergency because of wildfires in parts of Madrid and Ávila. There are also reports of wildfires in other inland areas of Spain.
“If you are in an area affected by a wildfire:
- follow instructions from local authorities and emergency services at all times
- avoid travelling to or through affected areas
- check updates from the emergency services
- call 112 if you need emergency help.”
The government website provides further information here.
More than 280,000 people forced to flee as devastating wildfires rip through Spain and France
Saturday 25 July 2026 22:10 , Rebecca Whittaker
More than 280,000 people have been forced to flee their homes as devastating wildfires rage across central Spain and southwestern France.
High winds have left firefighters struggling to battle flames as Spain declared a national emergency, with multiple fires merging outside Madrid.
France has deployed its army, with hundreds of soldiers joining efforts to contain the flames, which have ripped through a record 98,000 hectares since January.
Read more here:
More than 280,000 flee as devastating wildfires rip through Spain and France
European Commission President shares thoughts with those in 'devastating wildfires'
Saturday 25 July 2026 21:50 , Rebecca Whittaker
President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyden, has praised the “firefighters bravely battling the flames” and shared her thoughts with those who have been evacuated in France and Spain.
In a post on X she said five aircraft and two helicopters from the rescue fleet have been deployed to France and four aircraft will be arriving in Spain.
“Europe stands alongside France and Spain in the face of the devastating wildfires striking them,” she wrote.
L'Europe se tient aux côtés de la France et de l'Espagne face aux incendies dévastateurs qui les frappent.⁰
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 25, 2026
5 avions et 2 hélicoptères de la flotte rescEU sont désormais déployés en France.⁰
Et 4 avions arrivent aujourd'hui en Espagne.⁰
Copernicus fournit également des cartes…
Watch: Horses run from thick smoke as wildfires spread in southern France
Saturday 25 July 2026 21:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
Recap: Man dies in Spanish wildfire near Valencia
Saturday 25 July 2026 21:10 , Rebecca Whittaker
A man has died in a wildfire in Manises, Valencia, the Spanish Interior Ministry said.
A brush fire outside coastal Valencia, which began and was extinguished on Saturday, caused the death of an elderly man in his car.
The man was found in a car in a ravine, the officials said.
It comes as Spain faces multiple wildfires, leaving homes charred and forcing thousands to evacuate.
Three blazes in the vicinity of Madrid, two of which merged on Friday, have prompted Spain to declare its first national emergency over a wildfire.
Residents near Bordeaux evacuated to emergency accomidation
Saturday 25 July 2026 20:50 , Rebecca Whittaker
A 71-year-old said she abandoned her house in the middle of the night “with nothing”.
Speaking at a large conference centre in Bordeaux converted into emergency accommodation. she said: "I forgot plenty of things, my eye medications, everything."
About 197,000 people have so far been evacuated from the Gironde and Landes areas close to Bordeaux since the wildfires broke out this week.
French Interior Minister Nunez said the flames were around 30 km (19 miles) from Bordeaux.
The government has warned against road or rail travel to the area. Bordeaux airport remained open but train and bus links to it were affected, it said on its website.
Watch: Homes go up in flames as wildfires tear through Spain
Saturday 25 July 2026 20:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
Pictured: Smoke rises as a wildfire spreads near Madrid
Saturday 25 July 2026 20:10 , Rebecca Whittaker
Spanish resident recalls panicking and taking her cat as she was evacuated
Saturday 25 July 2026 19:50 , Rebecca Whittaker
A residents from Fresnedillas de La Oliva, a town near Madrid, said she “took her cat and left” when she received a message to prepare for evacuation.
Wildfires in Europe have displaced about 280,000 people this week, including some 70,000 people evacuated in central Spain.
"I saw clouds of smoke rising into the sky. That's when I realized something was happening," Rodika, 60, from the small town of Fresnedillas de La Oliva, told Reuters.
"I think we all panicked. Then we received the message telling us to get ready, take whatever valuables we could, whatever was most important. I took my cat, and we left."
Pictured: Where are the wildfires across Europe?
Saturday 25 July 2026 19:35 , Rebecca Whittaker
Reality TV star Georgia Toffolo reveals she escaped French wildfires
Saturday 25 July 2026 19:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
Reality TV star Georgia Toffolo has revealed she narrowly escaped the French wildfires with her husband, Brewdog co-founder James Watt.
The 31-year-old said she was on holiday with family in Cap Ferret last week and left the place she was staying earlier than planned as she could smell the fires, adding in a post on her Instagram story that she is “praying that everyone’s OK”.
The former Made In Chelsea star said: “We were just watching the news, and just so you can understand, we were on holiday there for a week, and then we were at lunch with friends on Thursday, and… we knew about the fire, but at that point it was quite far away.
“And our friends were like: ‘Oh God, it’s really getting bad’, and they live there, so they were a bit more plugged in than us, and anyway, at that point, everyone was like… ‘everything’s OK, just stay put’.
“But the problem is with these wildfires, when the wind changes direction, the situation changes really quickly.”
Read more here:
Reality TV star Georgia Toffolo reveals she escaped French wildfires
Macron promises to 'rebuild' and 'repair' areas destroyed by wildfires
Saturday 25 July 2026 19:14 , Rebecca Whittaker
French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to “rebuild” and “repair” after thousands of hectares have been ravaged and homes destroyed in France.
About 197,000 people have so far been evacuated from the Gironde and Landes areas close to Bordeaux since the wildfires broke out this week.
French Interior Minister Nunez said the flames were around 30 km (19 miles) from Bordeaux.
The president has thanked the emergency services fighting the country's numerous wildfires.
“We will rebuild, we will repair, and we will be there as long as it takes,” he wrote in a post on X.
Dans ces heures où les flammes éprouvent durement notre pays, la France révèle ce qu’elle est : un peuple uni, qui se serre les coudes.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 25, 2026
Merci à nos sapeurs-pompiers, à nos militaires, aux forces de sécurité civile, à nos gendarmes et policiers, ainsi qu’aux agriculteurs… pic.twitter.com/DFzPt8vSYM
Residents near Bordeaux describe wildfires as 'totally apocalyptic'
Saturday 25 July 2026 19:10 , Rebecca Whittaker
A wildfire in the village of Saumos, north of Cap Ferret, near Bordeaux has been described as “apocalyptic” by residents.
The fire is threatening to cut off the only road out of the peninsula and is the largest so far this season in France, local television reported.
It has torn through more than 14,000 hectares of forest and destroyed more than 100 homes and one campsite, officials said.
"It breaks my heart. Because it's such a pleasant place to live, seeing it go up in smoke is truly sad," said family caregiver Corinne Paillaube.
"It's totally apocalyptic," said Ambre Dubos, from the nearby Landes region.
