Wildfires have advanced to the outskirts of the historic French city of Bordeaux, at the heart of the country’s renowned wine region, as France and Spain continue to battle devastating blazes.
French authorities say about 220,000 people have been evacuated, while in Spain, more than 75,000 residents have fled their homes and another 30,000 people have been ordered to remain indoors for safety.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited fire-ravaged areas in Ávila, one of three central provinces badly affected alongside Madrid and Toledo, where more than 45,000 hectares of land have been destroyed by the fires.
In France, the blazes have swept across the Cap Ferret Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and are spreading towards Bordeaux. Mayor Thomas Cazenave said the fire is now about 15 kilometres from the city’s main entry points, while Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the situation as “difficult.”
