France and Spain order 250,000 evacuations as fires rage across Bordeaux and Madrid

Scale of the disaster

By Friday morning 25 July, around 250,000 people had been evacuated in southwestern France and central Spain, according to interior ministries in both countries. In France, the interior minister reported 167,000 evacuated in Gironde and a further 30,000 in Landes; Spain’s interior ministry put its total at 45,000. The numbers swelled overnight after authorities ordered the evacuation of more than 60,000 residents from suburbs of Bordeaux as a fire burning north of the Bassin d’Arcachon advanced toward the city. Earlier, on 24 July, over 200,000 had already fled, and thousands of tourists were rescued by boat from the Cap Ferret peninsula.

France: Bordeaux under threat

The fire in Gironde, which started north of Arcachon, had consumed 19,000 hectares and 100 buildings by Friday, the prefecture said. It forced the evacuation of Saint-Médard-en-Jalles (33,000 inhabitants), Saint-Jean d’Illac, Martignas-sur-Jalles, and Saint-Aubin de Médoc, all on the western edge of Bordeaux. The prefecture stated that firefighting efforts were intense but the blaze continued to spread. Three western suburbs, including the area around the airport, were emptied overnight. French prime minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the deployment of an extra 500 soldiers, taking the army contingent to over 1,000, alongside police and gendarmerie units. He emphasised the priority: “Our priority is to protect human lives.” France activated the EU civil protection mechanism to secure additional aerial reinforcements. Interior minister Laurent Nunez acknowledged that the fire was only 30 kilometres from Bordeaux and that authorities were working on all scenarios, including a possible full evacuation of the city.

The fire is 30 kilometres from Bordeaux. We are working on all scenarios.

Spain: Madrid shrouded in smoke

In Spain, the government declared a national emergency after three fires west of the capital merged into a single blaze that overwhelmed initial containment efforts. Some 45,000 people were evacuated, with nearly 40,000 more advised to stay indoors. The regional government of Madrid described the fire as the worst in its history. By Friday, the flames had scorched nearly 10,000 hectares in the Madrid region and between 13,000 and 15,000 hectares in the neighbouring province of Avila, the interior ministry said. Thick smoke darkened the sky over the capital; health minister Mónica García reported PM2.5 levels well above WHO guidelines. Prime minister Pedro Sánchez called the situation complex, adding, “We do not know how it will develop.”

This is the worst fire in the history of the region.

Emergency response and resources

France deployed 1,000 firefighters, 260 land vehicles, four Canadair, two Dash aircraft, three Air Tractor planes, and two helicopters to Gironde. The prefecture said 42 firefighters had been injured, nine hospitalised in a stable condition. In Bordeaux, a large exhibition hall was turned into a reception centre, providing cots, mattresses, clothes, and food for 3,500 evacuees. Spain’s civil protection secretary Virginia Barcones warned that a wind shift could complicate the Madrid fire. Both governments distributed masks: France sent 1.5 million FFP2 masks to the most affected areas, while Spain’s health ministry urged the use of FFP2/N95 masks and eye protection outdoors.

What lies ahead

Meteorologists forecast further strong winds, with gusts up to 80 km/h expected in the Gironde fire zone, which would complicate aerial operations. Authorities in both countries said they were prepared for additional evacuations if conditions worsen. No fatalities have been reported so far, and firefighters have managed to save thousands of homes, though dozens have been lost. The fires are the latest in a string of extreme blazes linked by experts to prolonged drought and climate change.