France and Spain Battle Wildfires as New Heatwave Approaches

France and Spain are fighting some of the worst wildfires in memory this week, as hot, dry weather makes the blazes harder to control. The fires have burned through hundreds of thousands of acres of forests, destroyed hundreds of homes, and forced more than 280,000 people to leave their communities. French President Emmanuel Macron visited a crisis center near the city of Bordeaux on Monday to see the situation firsthand. He warned that the weeks ahead would be very difficult for both countries.

Near Bordeaux, in the Gironde region of southwestern France, one enormous wildfire has been burning out of control for six days. It has destroyed about 42,000 hectares — roughly 103,000 acres — of land, burned down 240 houses, and forced around 220,000 people to flee their homes. The fire is so powerful that it creates its own weather, including a rare cloud called a pyrocumulonimbus that produces lightning and can start new fires. Macron said a smaller nearby fire had been contained, but warned that people still needed to stay very careful.

In Spain, wildfires burning west of the capital city of Madrid have also caused major damage. About 60,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, and some found shelter in a local sports hall, sleeping on camp beds. A woman named Maria Angeles Canete broke down in tears when she saw what was left of her campsite near the town of Navaluenga. 'We lost everything,' she said. 'We have nothing.'

Volunteers and professional firefighters have been working side by side to fight the blazes. Karim Benali, a 39-year-old volunteer firefighter, described the effort: 'You run to save what you can and then you turn to defend.' Farmers and local workers near Bordeaux also joined in, driving tractors and water tank trucks to help. Their efforts showed how entire communities were pulling together in the crisis.

New heatwaves are now on the way for both countries, which will make things even harder. France's weather service predicted temperatures as high as 40°C (104°F) starting Tuesday, with hot, dry winds. Spain's weather agency announced a heatwave beginning Wednesday, with some areas expected to hit 42°C (107°F). Firefighters and officials say these extreme conditions could cause the fires to spread even further.

The European Union sent more water-bombing planes to help France, adding to those already working in Spain. However, an EU official warned that these aircraft were being stretched thin across the continent. Extreme fire conditions were also building in Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Portugal. Leaders across Europe are pointing to climate change as the reason wildfires are becoming more dangerous every year.