Fire evacuees start returning home in France's scorched southwest
Authorities say that the fires in the Gironde have been stabilised but is not entirely out yet. The French interior minister says some 40 thousand hectares went up in smoke. Meanwhile, some of those evacuated have been allowed to return home, while others are still waiting.
Europe's huge wildfires strain waterbomber capacity, aerial firefighting firm Avincis says
Europe's largest aerial emergency services firm Avincis is warning Europe is not ready for longer and more extreme wildfire seasons, with the company's chief executive telling Reuters that its firefighting aircraft are now needed almost year-round.
CEO John Boag said longer European wildfire seasons and bureaucratic obstacles have exacerbated regional shortages of both aircraft and the experienced pilots needed to fly them.
"Globally, fire seasons are getting longer, aircraft are not moving between areas and pilots are becoming harder and harder to get," Boag said in an interview.
As it braces for a new heatwave, Spain races to contain wildfires
Fires continue to spread through Spain with one blaze to the west of Madrid now the largest to have swept through the country. Over 50,000 hectares have burnt near the city of Avila, and firefighters are attempting to bring the fires under control ahead of a rise in temperatures.
How Bordeaux locals are volunteer to help firefighters battle monster blazes
The huge fire raging in France's southwestern region of Gironde did not progress overnight on July 28, local authorities said. The task might become more complicated for firefighters, however, as the region is set to experience extreme temperatures due to a new heatwave. the broadcaster's Carys Garland is on the ground and tells us about what's happening since the fire first broke out, and how locals are showing up to help.
French authorities order evacuation of 4,000 people from tourist sites on Atlantic coast amid worsening wildfires
French authorities ordered the evacuation Tuesday of nearly 4,000 people from campsites, tourist residences, holiday villages and leisure parks around Lacanau on France’s Atlantic coast as worsening weather threatened to intensify wildfire conditions.
Gironde’s regional authority said the evacuations covered Lacanau Ocean and both shores of Lacanau lake. People were told to take personal belongings, follow emergency instructions and stay away until authorities permit a return.
Massive fire near Bordeaux 'stable' after a calm night, prefecture says
The megafire that has burned 42,000 hectares in Gironde since July 22 is "remains stabilised" this morning after a "calm" night, according to the department's prefecture.
"Several flare-ups were dealt with last night but are under control (north of Porge, north of Cap-Ferret in the dune area) thanks to the work of the firefighters. The burned area is unchanged," according to the same source.
During the day, Météo-France forecasts a rise in temperatures up to 33 to 35°C inland, accompanied by a southeast wind, with ocean breezes from the west on the coast, which could reignite the blaze.
'Difficult hours' ahead for firefighters in Spain
Spanish authorities hope to bring the fires raging near Madrid under control by Tuesday evening, ahead of a new heat wave expected to begin on Wednesday that will bring "difficult hours," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned.
“There are still difficult hours ahead” as “temperatures rise”, Sanchez warned during a visit to the emergency coordination center in the Valencia region.
The fire in the western Sierra de Madrid was spreading toward the massive blaze in Ávila, in the neighbouring region of Castile and León, the "largest" wildfire in Spain's recent history, according to the government. Together, these two fires have ravaged approximately 75,000 hectares in just a few days – seven times the area of Paris. The fire raging at the same time in Gironde has burned more than 42,000 hectares.
Welcome to the the broadcaster liveblog covering wildfires in Europe. Catch up on yesterday's developments here.
Yesterday's key developments:
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French President Emmanuel Macron vowed "to rebuild a different kind of forest" as he visited fire-ravaged southwest France.
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The fire burning in France's Bordeaux area was "broadly stable overnight" from Sunday, local authorities said.
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Holiday camp activities were cancelled in the Gironde department of France's Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
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Macron held a crisis cabinet meeting on the wildfires Monday morning.
(the broadcaster with AFP, AP and Reuters)
