Around 12,000 people evacuated in France fires
Around 12,000 people, including some 10,000 tourists, have been evacuated from south-west France as wildfires continue to burn in the Gironde region, days after two firefighters died tackling a blaze near Bordeaux airport. The fires are part of a wider pattern of severe wildfires across southern Europe this summer, driven by prolonged heatwaves, with Italy and Spain also battling major blazes and casualties among firefighting personnel.
More than 2,000 hectares (4,000 acres) have been destroyed in Gironde, which remains under a red alert, with combustion and electric engines banned in forested areas and several roads and leisure sites closed. In Italy, a firefighter died and another was injured battling one of over 350 fires in Sicily, which officials said have largely been started deliberately; in Spain, most evacuated Madrid residents have been allowed home except near Villa del Prado, where nearly 90 personnel and a helicopter are fighting an ongoing blaze amid forecast temperatures of up to 36C. A Copernicus Climate Change Service report found 95% of Europe recorded above-average temperatures in 2025, with wildfire-burnt area and emissions both reaching record levels.
In short
- About 12,000 evacuated from wildfires in south-west France
- Firefighter dies in Sicily; over 350 fires reported on the island
- Spain also battling blazes amid a severe European heatwave summer
Explained simply
Southern Europe is experiencing severe wildfires during the summer months, a season when extreme heat and dry conditions create ideal circumstances for large blazes to spread rapidly. These fires have become increasingly frequent and destructive in recent years, a pattern linked to changing climate conditions and rising temperatures across the continent.
Wildfires are currently affecting France, Spain and Italy simultaneously, with multiple large blazes burning across the region in areas such as Gironde. Climate monitoring shows that Europe is now recording above-average temperatures and record levels of wildfire activity, indicating that these severe fire seasons are becoming more common.
Wildfires pose significant dangers to residents and tourists in affected areas, many of whom must evacuate when blazes threaten their homes, as well as to the firefighting personnel who risk their lives fighting the flames. The scale of fires now burning across southern Europe simultaneously demonstrates the growing threat these events pose to communities in the region.