Tens of thousands evacuated as firefighters battle to contain wildfires near Bordeaux, France

Firefighters are battling to contain wildfires burning near the city of Bordeaux, with tens of thousands of people evacuated from the surrounding region. The situation in the region remains 'very unfavourable' and the fire is 'moving erratically towards' Bordeaux. About 55,000 people were evacuated from villages to the south of the city in the Gironde region overnight into Sunday.

Evacuations and Firefighting

More than 220,000 people have been evacuated in the south-west of France, with 98,000 hectares burnt across the country since the start of the year. In the Gironde region, an area of 42,000 hectares has been burnt, making it one of the largest forest fires since World War Two. Captain Nicolas Braz, one of the leaders of the firefighting operation, said the fire had created 'its own winds - complete with whirlwinds', adding it was 'erratic and unmanageable'.

Impact on Local Communities

Residents in Le Porge, one of the coastal towns hit by the fires, have set up an improvised volunteer network to support exhausted firefighters. More than 150 houses have been destroyed in the town of 3,500 inhabitants. Volunteer Nathalie Augonnet said, 'I think many of them have never experienced a fire of this magnitude before.'

Fires in Spain

In Spain, fires continue to spread, with more than 90,000 evacuated from the regions around Madrid and Ávila. Around 77,000 hectares have been affected by the fires in Spain, according to minister for ecological transition, Sara Aagesen. The wildfire burning in the Ávila region is the largest in the country's recent history.