Wildfires have caused widespread destruction across Spain and France, forcing mass evacuations, straining emergency services, and prompting assistance through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism.
In Spain, fires near Madrid, neighboring areas, and the eastern region of Valencia have displaced approximately 75,000 people. Spain’s Minister for Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, called the wildfire in the province of Ávila one of the most consequential the country has experienced in recent decades.
“We are talking about the most significant forest fire in Spain’s recent history,” Aagesen told reporters in Navalcarnero, near Madrid. The Spanish government has declared a nationwide state of emergency as firefighters confront several active wildfire fronts. One of the fires killed an elderly individual in Valencia.
Wildfires in Spain are completely out of control. More than 300.000 people across Spain and France have been evacuated. pic.twitter.com/sqYh3K6IxR
— распад и неуважение (@VictorKvert2008) July 26, 2026
Greece sends two firefighting aircraft to Spain
Greece has joined the international response by sending two CL-415 firefighting aircraft to Spain through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism.
According to Greece’s Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, the aircraft took off from Torrejón Air Base and joined operations in the Burgohondo area. Burgohondo lies approximately 115 kilometers (71 miles) west of Madrid.
The ministry said the two Greek aircraft would continue operating in the area as Spanish authorities worked to contain the Ávila wildfire and protect nearby communities.
Gironde wildfire threatens Bordeaux as wildfires spread across France and Spain
Conditions remain exceptionally dangerous in southwestern France, particularly in the Gironde region. Wildfires there have scorched approximately 420,000 stremmas (104,000 acres). Authorities have ordered around 220,000 people to evacuate their homes.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the Gironde wildfire intensified dramatically through the night, generated its own wind, and changed direction unexpectedly. “At the beginning of the night in Gironde, the fire became extremely intense and unpredictable, generating its own wind and spreading unexpectedly toward the outskirts of Bordeaux,” Nuñez wrote on X.
Fire crews halted its advance before dawn and prevented the flames from spreading farther into the Bordeaux metropolitan area. Authorities nevertheless expanded evacuation zones in threatened suburbs.
Thousands of firefighters battle flames
France has deployed eighteen firefighting aircraft, while an Airbus A400M has also supported the emergency response. Approximately 4,150 firefighters are battling the wildfires across the affected regions. In Gironde, 2,500 firefighters, including a Swiss firefighting team, are confronting the blaze. Around 1,500 soldiers are also supporting the operation.
Authorities have sent another five hundred firefighters to Landes, while 1,100 are working in the Var region. Local farmers have joined the effort, using their equipment and knowledge of the surrounding terrain to assist emergency crews. “We came to help because if this were our area, we would want others to do the same,” said 65-year-old farmer Pascal Roudier. “Given the scale of the disaster, we believe our efforts are also very welcome.”
Europe is burning. France + Spain: 250,000+ people evacuated this weekend alone. France: 98,000 hectares destroyed, a new national record. Worst wildfire crisis in the country’s history.
Even the Tour de France had to cut its final stage. When wildfires cancel the Tour de… pic.twitter.com/DOXFbJj8bZ
— France Safety Travel (@francesafetytra) July 26, 2026
Wildfires remain active in Landes and Var
In Landes, another major wildfire has burned approximately 36,000 stremmas (nearly 8,900 acres). Aerial crews tackled a flare-up, although the wildfire’s perimeter remained highly active. Authorities continue to monitor conditions in the Var region, where they have evacuated nearly three thousand people as a precaution.
The expected return of the mistral has raised fears that conditions could deteriorate further. The strong, dry northwesterly wind regularly affects southern France and can rapidly accelerate the spread of wildfires. Other wildfire fronts remain active in Corsica and the Hautes-Alpes region.
Nuñez urged the public to remain extremely cautious, warning that even a minor act of carelessness could have devastating consequences under the current weather conditions.
Extreme heat fuels wildfires in Spain and France
Southwestern France ranks among the areas hardest hit by the intense heat affecting large parts of Europe. Average high temperatures in the Aquitaine region reached 32.2°C (90°F) in July, according to the Reuters Climate Monitor. That figure exceeded the average July maximum recorded between 1961 and 1990 by 7.3° C (about 13°F).
Prolonged heat, dry vegetation, and shifting winds have created favorable conditions for wildfires to spread and have complicated containment efforts.
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