FRANCE AND SPAIN RACE TO CONTROL WILDFIRES AS MORE THAN 250,000 EVACUATED – AS IT HAPPENED

France and Spain are racing to control massive wildfires, with over 250,000 people evacuated, as the countries struggle to contain the blazes. The French prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has requested the armed forces to deploy an Airbus A400M military transport aircraft to aid in the efforts. This deployment is happening earlier than originally planned due to the severity of the situation.

The fires in France are exacerbated by three successive heatwaves in as many months, with the country's rivers also feeling the impact of the climate crisis. According to Climate crisis | The Guardian, the Loire, France's longest river, is at a historical low, with some branches reduced to a trickle. In the UK, a blaze in the Cairngorms national park is being described as 'very serious' by Scotland's first minister.

The situation is part of a broader pattern of extreme weather events supercharged by the climate crisis, with wildfires also raging in other parts of the world, such as Canada, where over 900 wildfires are currently burning, as reported by China | The Guardian.

• Over 250,000 people evacuated due to wildfires in France and Spain
• French prime minister requests early deployment of military aircraft to aid in firefighting efforts
• Extreme heat and climate crisis exacerbate wildfires and impact rivers in France

Read the original source for full detail available at Climate crisis | The Guardian src