France, Spain and Greece battle wildfires as Europe confront fast-moving blazes

Residents and firefighters work to extinguish an advancing wildfire near Formariz in Zamora province, Spain

Europe: Europe’s escalating wildfire season intensified on Thursday as France, Spain and Greece struggled to contain major fires driven by extreme heat, dry vegetation and powerful winds, forcing large-scale evacuations and causing deadly consequences across the continent.

Firefighters remained deployed across multiple fronts after days of relentless fire activity, with authorities warning that dangerous conditions could persist despite some signs of temporary weather relief in parts of France.

France investigates suspected arson as Bordeaux blaze stabilises

French authorities arrested two people on suspicion of deliberately starting fires while emergency crews continued battling a massive wildfire near Bordeaux. Officials said the blaze had not expanded overnight, with the burned area remaining at roughly 42,000 hectares.

The fire has devastated extensive pine forests in southwestern France and triggered the evacuation of approximately 220,000 residents and holidaymakers. Authorities said about 60,000 people have since been allowed to return, while businesses that had suspended operations were gradually reopening.

Although meteorologists forecast increased humidity, possible thunderstorms and lower temperatures around Bordeaux, an extreme heat warning remained in effect for Gironde, the department that includes the city. Officials stressed that the emergency was far from over.

Météo-France has shifted its highest wildfire alert toward southeastern France and the Mediterranean corridor, where conditions remain highly favourable for new outbreaks. The country has already seen more land burned by wildfires this year than in any year since 2006, according to French authorities.

Crete tragedy claims firefighters’ lives

Greece faced one of the most severe episodes of its fire season as blazes swept across Crete and the Peloponnese, killing three firefighters and forcing residents and tourists to flee.

Two firefighters died after becoming trapped while travelling between active fire fronts in central Crete, while another firefighter was killed in a separate blaze in the Peloponnese.

Strong winds pushed flames rapidly through villages near popular tourist areas, prompting evacuations by both land and sea around Krya Vrysi and neighbouring communities.

“The wind is unbelievable – you can’t stand sometimes. The flames were huge, it was really scary,” resident Chrissa Gioukaki told Reuters from Agia Galini, a coastal resort where displaced residents and tourists spent the night in an indoor gymnasium.

Agios Vasilios Mayor Yiannis Tartarakis described the situation as critical.

“The situation is desperate. The tragic part is that we lost two fellow firefighters,” he said, adding that firefighting aircraft could not operate because of the gale-force winds.

Fire experts note that large wildfires can generate their own intense local weather patterns, including powerful and erratic winds that make suppression efforts significantly more difficult.

Spain battles expanding fire fronts

Spain continued to fight multiple wildfires as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the country’s situation as “extreme,” with at least 10 active fires raising serious concern.

“We’re in a critical, highly complex situation,” Sánchez said, pointing to the combination of high temperatures, low humidity and strong wind gusts that has intensified fire behaviour.

Speaking from Mallorca, he also revealed that he had formally requested European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to establish a new EU wildfire-fighting centre for the western Mediterranean in the Balearic Islands.

New fires broke out in the northwestern provinces of Zamora and León during Spain’s fourth heatwave of the summer, while a major blaze in Castellón continued to spread.

More than 1,000 people were evacuated from areas surrounding Arribes del Duero Natural Park in Zamora, and separate fires in León forced more than 300 residents to leave their homes.

In Castellón, firefighting commander Antonio Rodrigo said the fire’s 82-kilometre perimeter had been mapped but not yet secured after burning more than 9,300 hectares.

The overnight operation involving 400 firefighters was “critical” in determining whether the blaze could be stabilised within 48 hours, he said, warning that rising temperatures later on Thursday could complicate containment efforts.

Europe’s hottest summer trend fuels growing fire risk

The wildfire crisis has unfolded against a backdrop of exceptional heat across Europe. The continent is experiencing another above-average wildfire season and has already surpassed 2025’s record fire activity, according to European monitoring data.

Reuters Climate Monitor reported that Thursday’s temperatures placed Europe furthest from its historical average of any continent, with an average high of 25.3°C, approximately 3.6°C above the 1961–1990 norm.

Scientists have repeatedly warned that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves and creating drier landscapes that are more vulnerable to large, fast-moving wildfires. Europe, widely recognised as the world’s fastest-warming continent, has endured repeated cycles of extreme heat and fire outbreaks throughout the summer.

Authorities across France, Greece and Spain warned that despite localised improvements in weather conditions, the broader wildfire threat remains elevated as heat, wind and drought continue to strain firefighting resources across southern Europe.