At least 1 dead, more than 257,000 evacuated amid wildfires in Spain, France
France is expected to get its fourth heatwave next week.
One man is dead and over 257,000 people have been evacuated in France and Spain as wildfires continues to burn through thousands of hectares, officials from both countries said.
The man, 78, died in the Spanish town of Manises, north-west of Valencia, in an area affected by the fire, according to the Valencia fire brigade. The victim had reduced mobility and was caught in the blaze near his orchard.
The fire is now under control and the town has declared two days of official mourning. Firefighters continue to work on site and have treated several people for smoke inhalation and burns.
In France, 198,000 people have been evacuated across Gironde, Landes, Var and Tarn regions, with the majority of evacuations from Gironde, according to French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez.
About 60,000 in Spain have been evacuated from Madrid and Avila. Nearly 88,000 others have been confined in Madrid and Avila, according to the Spanish Ministry of Interior.
The final stage of the Tour de France on Sunday has been shortened so that some of the security forces can be freed up and sent to help with the wildfires in the southwest.
Overnight, more towns near Bordeaux, France, were told to evacuate as a precaution. The main fire in Gironde is now 30 kilometers from Bordeaux, according to Nunez.
The flames are approaching Bordeaux again after the wind changed direction at midday, prefect Sophie Brocas said. She said the situation is still serious and dangerous even if the fire has lost a bit of intensity thanks to cooler temperatures and higher humidity.
Authorities are working on the edges of the main Gironde fire, but the wind is expected to shift Saturday afternoon and conditions will get tougher again. Officials said they're preparing for all scenarios, including a possible evacuation of parts of Bordeaux.
Overall, more than 167,000 people were evacuated in Gironde as a precaution, according to Ministry of Interior.
The main Gironde fire has burnt through 32,700 hectares, roughly three times the size of Paris, and 140 houses have been destroyed, according to an update from local officials.
At least 54 firefighters have been injured, nine of whom were evacuated, all with non-life-threatening injuries. No casualties have been reported among the security and rescue forces so far, according to Gironde officials.
Nunez called the fires unprecedented and worse than one in 2022. Nearly 98,000 hectares have burned across France so far this year, a historic record.
France is expected to get its fourth heatwave starting Tuesday with temperatures expected between 93 to 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
Around Madrid, Spain, the fires advanced little overnight and dropped a lot in intensity amid better weather.
Twenty-three towns have been evacuated in Madrid and Avila since the fires began. Madrid has evacuated twelve localities and confined four. Avila has evacuated eleven and confined three.
NASA satellites detected 5,346 active hotspots across Spain in the last 24 hours. The largest fires being monitored are Navaluenga in Avila at around 22,000 hectares and San Martin de Valdeiglesias in Madrid at 14,500 hectares.
Portugal is sending 200 firefighters to help in Avila.
Smoke reached Madrid on Saturday morning, with a brown sky and strong burnt smell. Spanish authorities said there’s no major health risk right now but are advising vulnerable groups to limit time outdoors.
Fourteen reception centers are open around Madrid with just over 2,000 people inside, according to officials. Winds are shifting so Saturday looks more favorable. Around 1,000 elderly people and people with disabilities and minors from care homes are being sheltered.
The fire in Avila, Spain, is at around 9,000 hectares with more than 10,000 people affected.
The recent cooler weather in Madrid and Avila is cooling with temperatures expected to climb again on Monday. Temperatures are expected to be between 95 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spain has already burned more than 131,000 hectares so far this year.
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