FRANCE AND SPAIN RACE TO CONTROL WILDFIRES AS SUBURBS OF BORDEAUX BEGIN EVACUATION – LIVE

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu ordered the armed forces to deploy an Airbus A400M earlier than planned to help fight major wildfires in Gironde, while Spanish officials warned that stronger winds could worsen fires on Saturday, prompting evacuations in the suburbs of Bordeaux.

According to The Guardian, the aircraft deployment was not expected until the month‑end due to required technical preparations and tests. A Guardian poll notes over 200,000 people have fled or been locked down as wildfires sweep France and Spain, and the National Low Water Observatory reports that 16% of French rivers have dried with the Loire at a historical low. Related coverage highlights more than 900 wildfires raging across Canada and that almost 75% of England’s riverbanks are currently off‑limits.

These events follow three successive heatwaves, underscoring the role of the climate crisis in driving extreme weather and severe drought conditions.

• Early deployment of Airbus A400M by French armed forces to aid Gironde wildfire response.
• Suburbs of Bordeaux evacuated as winds could intensify fires, per Spanish officials.
• Over 200,000 people evacuated or locked down across France and Spain amid wildfires.
• 16% of French rivers dried, including a historical low in the Loire, per National Low Water Observatory.
• Worldwide wildfire context: more than 900 fires in Canada and widespread restrictions on England’s riverbanks.

AI CONFIDENCE: MEDIUM • Built by DAMMNEWS AI from available The Guardian reporting and related coverage. Read the original source for full detail.