Wildfires in France and Spain force 166,000 to flee
The European Union sent seven water-bombing aircraft after fires burned 13,500 hectares in France and 32,000 hectares in Guadalajara.
Widespread wildfires in France and Spain forced more than 166,000 people to evacuate by Friday, with the worst-hit areas in southwest France, Madrid and Guadalajara. In France, about 44,000 people were evacuated from the Cap Ferret peninsula south of Bordeaux, while fires in Cap Ferret and around Biscarrosse burned more than 13,500 hectares. In Spain, at least 25,000 people left the Madrid region, including 1,200 elderly people and people with disabilities, while the largest active fire in Guadalajara scorched 32,000 hectares. France and Spain requested help from the European Union, which prepared three water-bombing aircraft for France and four for Spain. Authorities linked the spread of the fires to strong winds, drought and repeated heat waves.