France and Spain are bracing for a long and challenging battle against raging wildfires that have already forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes. As temperatures soar ahead of a fresh heatwave, French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez are sounding the alarm, warning that the situation is dire and "difficult hours" lie ahead. The scale of the disaster is unprecedented, with over 116,000 hectares of forest and vegetation burned in France alone since the beginning of the year, more than double the total area affected by wildfires last year. Firefighters are working tirelessly to contain the blazes, but the fight is far from over as the region prepares for yet another heatwave.
Emmanuel Macron warns that ‘we have to hold out’ as fires burn near city; Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez warns of ‘difficult hours’ aheadFrance and Spain race to contain huge wildfires before fresh heatwave beginsFirefighters in France and Spain are facing another day battling wildfires that have resulted in hundreds of thousands of people being evacuated, with another heatwave expected to hit this week.French authorities have said this year’s wildfires, particularly the Gironde fire near the south-western city of Bordeaux, are ‘completely exceptional’, with more than 116,000 hectares of forest and vegetation burned since the beginning of the year, compared with 70,000 in total last year. Continue reading...
