Amman, July 25 (Petra) — Uncontrolled wildfires sweeping across
Spain and France have forced authorities to evacuate more than
250,000 people near the French city of Bordeaux and surrounding areas
of Madrid, as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared saving
lives the top priority.

Satellite data from the European Forest Fire Information System
(EFFIS) showed that 2026 has set a new record for total land area
burned in France, surpassing the previous record set in 2022,
according to Agence France-Presse.

EFFIS data showed that approximately 69,473 hectares have burned in
France since the start of the year, compared to just over 66,300
hectares recorded in 2022.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said 167,000 people have been
evacuated nationwide due to blazes near Bordeaux and the surrounding
Gironde region in the southwest.

In Spain, authorities activated the European Union Civil Protection
Mechanism, requesting four firefighting aircraft. Greece responded to
the appeal by dispatching two Canadair water-bombing planes to assist
Spanish crews.

Spain’s Interior Ministry reported that evacuations in the Madrid
region have exceeded 70,000 people, an increase of 25,000 from
earlier official estimates.

//Petra// AF