Here's the latest
• Wildfires rage: More than 250,000 people have been evacuated in France and Spain as wildfires tear through southwest Europe. At least one person has died in Valencia, Spain.
• Marathon firefight: France’s prime minister warned the coming hours “may be difficult” as conditions shift on the ground. In Spain, firefighters are battling to prevent two fires near Madrid from merging.
• Widespread impacts: Elderly evacuees and families with children are among those waiting in shelters for word on when they might return home. The fires have spread thick smoke and disrupted daily life, including at the Tour de France.
• Across Europe: Fires are also burning in Italy, the UK and other parts of the continent. CNN is mapping the fire activity.
• Climate crisis: The fires are fueled by climate change-driven heat waves, which set the stage for fiercer fire seasons.
Track stories like this and get your forecast in the CNN Weather app.
Spain battles to keep two wildfires from merging west of Madrid
Hundreds of firefighters in Spain are battling to prevent two wildfires west of the capital Madrid from merging, local media reports.
Fires continue to rage overnight in Ávila and the Madrid region, scorching nearly 45,000 hectares and forcing around 90,000 people to evacuate or shelter, Spain’s RTVE reported late Saturday local time.
“The night is not going to be easy” and weather conditions “have not helped at all,” Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said, according to the state-owned broadcaster.
The two blazes are being tackled by a single command at Spain’s Military Emergency Unit, RTVE said.
On Saturday, unit chief Lt. General Francisco Javier Marcos Izquierdo highlighted efforts to keep the two fires separate.
But he said they are touching at certain points along a 14 to 15 kilometer (9 mile) strip in San Martín de Valdeiglesias, a town located between Madrid and Ávila.
The Spanish government has deployed 2,737 personnel, 426 ground vehicles and 21 aircraft. They have been joined by crews from Greece, Italy and Portugal, RTVE said.
French authorities order new evacuations
French authorities ordered new evacuations of towns in the department of Gironde late Saturday night.
An alert sent out to French phones ordered residents in at least five towns to evacuate toward Bordeaux, where thousands are sheltering as the wildfires rage.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced in Gironde and its neighboring department Landes. Earlier Saturday, authorities said that roughly 30 fires were burning simultaneously in southwestern France, with thousands of personnel deployed to fight them.
Germany is sending aid to France, chancellor says
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said his country is sending aid to French regions affected by wildfires.
The aid includes “helicopters, an A400 airplane, and rescuers,” Merz said in a French-language post on X, adding that he remains in touch with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Mapping wildfires across the European continent
As we’ve been reporting today, the wildfires in parts of Spain and France have been among the most devastating, but they are far from the only blazes burning in Europe right now. Here’s a zoomed-out look at fire activity this week:
Bordeaux city resident says sky is “completely yellow” and air smells of smoke
Magnus Danaher was planning to go to the seaside as temperatures in Bordeaux, France, were finally forecast to fall after a recent heat wave. But wildfires forced the 25-year-old Bordeaux city resident to cancel his plans.
When Danaher went outside yesterday, he said “the sky was just completely yellow” and the air smelled of smoke.
“We’ve seen a few people going out with masks on, not wanting to breathe in all the smoke because you open the window and you immediately get a massive waft of it,” he said.
At least one person has died in Spain due to the wildfires, authorities say
The wildfires in Spain have killed one person in the town of Manises, Valencia, according to local authorities.
“Unfortunately, the fire has claimed the life of one person,” the Manises City Council announced in a post on X, adding that it is declaring “two days of official mourning, tomorrow and Monday, as a show of gratitude to Firefighters, Civil Protection, Police, and the Civil Guard.”
The spread of the fire in the town, located on Spain’s eastern coast, occurred around midday on Saturday, local time, and was very rapid due to adverse weather conditions, with winds between 20 and 35 kilometers per hour, according to a statement published this afternoon.
The council said the fire was brought under control about four hours later. Officials expressed their condolences to the victim’s loved ones and thanked emergency services for their “quick response and effort.”
At a makeshift shelter in Bordeaux, people wonder when they'll return home
Two hundred thousand people have been evacuated from their homes in France’s Gironde and Landes regions as wildfires continue to burn out of control. Around 7,000 are being sheltered at a massive exhibition center in Bordeaux, which is itself shrouded in smoke carried into the city by shifting winds.
Many of those now sleeping on cots with their children and pets were woken in their homes west of Bordeaux in the early hours of Friday by emergency text alerts on their phones, telling them to evacuate immediately.
They have no prospect of returning home anytime soon.
Sitting beside her young children and dog, Wendy says the worst part is not knowing how long she and her family will have to stay. She told CNN how difficult it has been to remain calm.
Occasionally, a lost child is reunited with their family over the public address system—a reminder of just how vast the exhibition hall is where thousands of families are being sheltered and fed.
At a nearby folding table, Christophe explained how he was first woken by the emergency alert, before police officers climbed over his wall at 6 a.m. and banged on his door. He insisted on checking on his neighbors, both well into their nineties, but, he explained, that took time.
“I had a bag ready,” he said, “but they had nothing prepared, so we had to gather their belongings and their medication because they’re diabetic.”
Christophe is impressed by the logistics of what officials describe as the largest evacuation France has seen since World War II.
“We never knew the war,” he said, “and we’ve had disasters and fires before, but nothing like this.”
Coming hours "may be difficult" as conditions worsen, French prime minister warns
Shifting conditions could complicate efforts for firefighters in France.
According to French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, “the forecast has once again become unfavorable” after some relief in the weather overnight and earlier Saturday.
“The coming hours may be difficult,” Lecornu warned in a statement on X.
Here’s what else we learned from the prime minister’s update:
- Around 30 wildfires are burning simultaneously in the country, and nearly 100,000 hectares have already burned — “an unprecedented level.”
- A total of 1,400 firefighters, 1,500 military personnel and 1,700 internal security forces are working to extinguish fires, protecting people and secure evacuated areas.
- About 2.5 million filtering face masks will be distributed to help address health concerns from smoke, with a priority placed on the most vulnerable people and frontline personnel.
- Thousands of camp beds have been delivered to shelters for people who had to flee their homes.
A view from the front lines of the firefight in eastern Spain
Firefighters in the eastern Castellón province of Spain shared video of the leaping flames they’re facing as they work to extinguish one of the blazes ripping through parts of Europe this weekend.
In a post on X, fire officials shared video from the town of La Vall d’Uixó and urged residents not to try to access the area.
Bordeaux wine expert says 2026 vintage is safe for now
As wildfires burn west of Bordeaux, one of France’s most famous wine-producing regions, concerned oenophiles have called wine expert Nicolle Croft to voice concern over the fate of 2026 vintage.
“A lot of people are contacting me from around the world hearing all these terrible stories, but actually the vineyards are not impacted at the moment,” Croft, a tour guide based in Bordeaux, told CNN. “But we’re all very upset because there are people losing homes.”
Croft said at this time of year, the grapes aren’t yet large enough to absorb wildfire smoke – a phenomenon known in winemaking as “smoke taint.”
“We won’t be harvesting until the beginning of September,” Croft said, “so there’s still time.”
Dr. Phil Crews, a winemaker and chemist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, explained that unripe grapes aren’t as vulnerable to smoke taint. Young grapes lack sugars that would otherwise bind with bitter-tasting phenols in wildfire smoke.
“If you don’t have the sugars in the pulp of the grapes,” Crews said, “you don’t have the problem.”
What it's like at an exhibition center hosting fire evacuees in France
As wildfires rage across parts of France, some people in Bordeaux woke in the middle of the night to evacuation alerts. At an exhibition center here, swaths of evacuees are now sleeping and living on cots. It’s the largest evacuation in France since World War II.
People taking shelter at the center include retirement home evacuees and many families with children.
Evacuations underway in central Spain near Madrid
Several towns in central Spain are evacuating en masse as unprecedented wildfires burn near to the Spanish capital, according to Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of the Community of Madrid.
Ayuso said that the flames are affecting 50,000 people in the wider Madrid region, and at least 10 communities have evacuated or are in the process of leaving.
“We have two new municipalities that have been affected and will be evacuated: Cadalso de los Vidrios and Rozas de Puerto Real,” Ayuso announced at a press conference from the town of Cenicientos, roughly 60 miles west of the Spanish capital.
Ayuso said that the wildfires have created a “totally unprecedented, never-before-seen” emergency in Spain.
“It leads us to fear much worse situations in the coming hours,” Ayuso warned.
“All the region’s resources are working tirelessly,” Ayuso said, asking the community for “understanding and patience.”
What we know about the wildfires ripping through southwest Europe
Record-breaking, climate change-driven heat waves have fueled wildfires that are now ripping through parts of Europe.
The blazes have forced hundreds of thousands of evacuations. Firefighters are hoping to make progress today under more favorable weather conditions.
Here’s what we know so far:
- Evacuations: Authorities in France have issued evacuation orders for vast swaths of the area between Bordeaux and the Atlantic coast over the last two days. More than 167,000 people have been evacuated in the Gironde region, and another 31,000 people have been told to leave their homes in nearby Landes. In Spain, fires are affecting 50,000 people in the wider Madrid region, and at least 10 communities have evacuated or are in the process of leaving today. The Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex was among the facilities evacuated.
- Massive response: French authorities have deployed an enormous military cargo plane to help battle the wildfires, along with a slew of other civilian and military resources and a surge of foreign aid. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Greece, Italy and Portugal were among the nations sending his country resources and personnel.
- What officials are saying: Sánchez visited the site of the wildfires and urged emergency workers to keep up the good work, saying “we have a window of opportunity this weekend” to fight the blaze. French President Emmanuel Macron praised the country’s unity and thanked allies, including the European Commission, for sending help.
- Why it’s happening: Europe is experiencing more wildfires than normal this summer after scorching temperatures severely dried out vegetation. The heat came after an abnormally wet winter on the continent, with long-lasting rain and frequent storms contributing to the growth of more plants and brush that now serve as kindling.
CNN’s Issy Ronald, Tim Lister, Sophie Tanno, Allison Chinchar, Angela Fritz, Pierre Bairin contributed reporting.
Macron says France standing united in face of devastating wildfires
French President Emmanuel Macron praised the country’s unity, thanking firefighters and foreign partners on Saturday as France battled unprecedented wildfires that have forced mass evacuations in the southwest.
The president thanked security forces and emergency responders fighting the blazes which have spread through Gironde toward the suburbs of Bordeaux, fueled by record-breaking heat waves and dry conditions.
Macron said France has mobilized all available civilian and military resources, including Civil Security aircraft, Canadair water bombers, Dash planes and water-carrying helicopters.
He also thanked Romania, Croatia, Germany, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia for providing assistance.
Why Europe's wet winter could have actually helped fuel the fires
An abnormally wet winter in Europe — with long-lasting rain and frequent storms in January and February — is likely a factor in the wildfires.
The high moisture during winter would have spurred growth in grasses, brush and other vegetation. Then temperatures turned record-hot in Western Europe in May, just as France and Spain’s precipitation fell off a cliff, leading to drought.
Because the rain stopped at the exact same time temperatures surged, the moist soils dried out at unprecedented speeds. This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as a “flash drought,” or one that takes hold very fast.
Research shows the warming effect of climate pollution has significantly increased the frequency and extent of flash droughts in Europe. The hotter atmosphere acts like a dry sponge that greedily soaks up soil moisture, creating the drought that fuels wildfires.
Bordeaux evacuees come together at shelters
Raging wildfires have driven more than 250,000 people to evacuate from their homes in France and Spain.
In France, more than 167,000 people have been evacuated in the Gironde region, and another 31,000 people have been told to leave their homes in the nearby Landes region.
In Bordeaux, evacuees can be seen carrying their belongings and resting at shelters:
A closer look at why the wildfires are so fierce this year
Europe is experiencing more wildfires than normal this summer after scorching temperatures dried out the vegetation so much that the landscape is like a tinderbox.
If any spark catches, the vegetation is so dry that flames will more easily spread across it. That situation has been compounded by a wet winter that provided new vegetation, meaning there is more potential kindling, too.
This year, the continent has seen far more land burnt than the annual average for the same period, according to data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Still, as of July 22, slightly less land had burnt across the continent than during the same period last year, which was the worst on record.
In France, however, the situation is unprecedented. The country has already recorded more than 300 wildfires this year, compared to an annual average of 93, according to the EFFIS.
The climate crisis is driving hotter, drier weather, which sets the stage for fiercer fire seasons as it parches the landscape, sucking waters from rivers, lakes and soil.
In France, soil moisture is the lowest it has ever been this early in the summer season, and is approaching the lowest levels ever recorded, according to weather service Météo-France.
CNN’s Max Saltman contributed reporting.
Weather conditions improving for Europe wildfires
After a record-hot summer across many parts of France and Spain, Mother Nature is finally providing some temporary relief.
Bordeaux, France, reached a high temperature Friday in the upper 30s Celsius (near 100 Fahrenheit), but dropped back to the upper 20s Saturday and is expected to be in the mid 20s on Sunday, providing relief to crews battling wildfires across the region.
Winds will also improve, peaking at just 10 to 15 kph (under 10 mph) this weekend, giving crews a generous window to increase fire containment numbers.
There is a chance of rain showers across portions of France and Spain this weekend. While the chances are low, any rainfall that reaches the affected areas could provide additional help in suppressing the fires.
Final stage of Tour de France shortened due to wildfires, organizers say
The final stage of this year’s Tour de France has been shortened because of the efforts deployed in tackling the wildfires in southwestern France, organizers have said.
Instead of starting in Thoiry, a town just outside Paris, the peloton will only race the final finishing circuit through central Paris, reducing the pressure on the emergency services, and making the Stage 21 route 44 kilometers shorter, they added.
France’s Interior Ministry has decided to redeploy some of the personnel scheduled to provide security for the Tour de France, race organizers said.
Huge numbers of police officers accompany the riders throughout the Tour de France, securing anywhere between roughly 100 kilometers and 200 kilometers of road almost every day for three weeks.
Some context: This year’s Tour de France has already been affected by the extreme heat experienced across Europe this summer.
Stage 3 was also shortened due to the wildfires which burnt earlier this month and roadside spectators were prohibited from watching the last section of the race.
Local authorities even considered canceling that stage, which would have been unprecedented for the Tour de France, a national institution which has only ever stopped for the World Wars and Covid pandemic.
French minister urges tourists not to cancel plans to travel
A French minister reassured tourists and urged them not to cancel their holiday plans to France despite the fierce wildfires burning in the southwest of the country.
Éléonore Caroit, France’s minister for international partnerships, emphasized that most of the country is unaffected by the wildfires.
“But wherever you are, please do be advised as to what might be happening.”
She described the fires as an unprecedented “tragedy,” which is “significantly worse than last year and even 2022, which was the worst year we had had.
“(This is) something we’re seeing in many parts of the world. Remember the wildfires in California, Chile. The climate is changing, we’re having a terrible impact on it,” she added.
“While leaders in the world continue to say climate change doesn’t matter, we’re seeing the concrete effects everywhere. We have to take it seriously.”
