PARIS, July 28. /Dunyo IA/. More than 300,000 people have been evacuated from high-risk areas in France and Spain as massive wildfires, fuelled by extreme heat, dry weather and strong winds, continue to spread, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing with “Deutsche Welle” media company.

Wildfires have been raging for several days in south-western France. The main fire zones are located in the Gironde department, whose administrative centre is Bordeaux. Authorities have described the blaze there as “extremely intense and unpredictable”.

French President Emmanuel Macron has described the current wildfires as the most severe the country has experienced since the end of the Second World War. Meanwhile, firefighters have yet to bring the blaze near Bordeaux fully under control.

At least 240 homes have been destroyed in the region. However, Bordeaux Mayor Pierre Hurmic said there was no need to evacuate the city. Instead, it is currently accommodating thousands of people evacuated from neighbouring communities.

According to a statement by the French National Federation of Firefighters (FNSPF), pyrocumulonimbus clouds forming above the wildfires as a result of intense flames in forests are further aggravating the situation. In particular, they can trigger strong winds and lightning strikes that may spark new fires.

To combat the natural disaster, around 2,500 firefighters, 1,500 military personnel and 1,200 police officers have been deployed to the region.

In Spain, the main wildfires are occurring in the central parts of the country, near Madrid. Around 75,000 people have been evacuated from the affected areas, including the central provinces of Ávila and Toledo, as well as Castellón on the eastern coast.

Meanwhile, wildfires in the Valencia region in eastern Spain flared up again over the weekend. Some 15,000 of those evacuated were from this area.

Under the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism, additional personnel and equipment are being sent to France and Spain by other European countries to help deal with the consequences of the natural disaster.

According to the European Commission, 13 aircraft, four helicopters and 41 specialised vehicles have been deployed to fight the wildfires. In addition, nearly 130 rescuers have been sent to provide assistance. Germany is also taking part in the operation.

Satellite imagery from the European Union’s “Copernicus” Earth observation programme is also being provided to France and Spain. The data helps emergency services monitor fire hotspots and track the spread of the flames.

Photo by “Deutsche Welle”