Two Firefighters Die as Wildfires Sweep Southern Europe
Two firefighters have been killed battling a wildfire near Bordeaux in south-western France, where more than 10,000 holidaymakers were evacuated from campsites, as an intense heatwave drives temperatures above 40C across the Mediterranean. Fires are burning through France, Spain and Italy; Spain’s Guadalajara blaze has consumed some 32,000 hectares, and Italy has mobilised thousands to fight dozens of blazes.
The Bordeaux firefighters died as the fast-moving Le Porge fire burned around 2,000 hectares near the Atlantic coast, forcing thousands to flee resort campsites. This summer has already scorched the second-largest area in the European Union in two decades, according to satellite monitoring, and forecasters warn the heat will persist across southern Europe. Spain, France and Italy have deployed thousands of firefighters and water-bombing aircraft, and further evacuations are expected. For the many Britons holidaying in the region, the fires and extreme heat pose a direct risk. Watch for travel disruption and the strain on emergency services.