Wildfires raging across southern Spain and southwestern France have forced roughly 200,000 people to evacuate or shelter at home as crews scramble to contain blazes threatening major cities. According to the New York Times, firefighters are working through the night to stop the fires from moving further inland.
Al Jazeera reports that the same 200,000 people are fleeing or have been locked down as the fires sweep the regions, while The Guardian’s live coverage notes that the suburbs of Bordeaux were evacuated as flames approached the city. Firefighters in both countries are battling high winds and dry conditions that have accelerated the spread of the fires.
These events occur amid an unusually harsh summer wildfire season across Europe, where higher temperatures and prolonged droughts have increased the risk and severity of forest fires.