Wildfires Force 330,000 Evacuations Across France and Spain

Devastating wildfires across France and Spain have forced the evacuation or confinement of approximately 330,000 people. In France, where over 42,000 hectares have burned in the Gironde region, the government described the displacement of 220,000 residents as likely the largest civilian evacuation in the country's history outside of wartime. Spain, where 110,000 people fled, has declared a national emergency as temperatures reach 42C.

Maria Zuber, head of the European Union's Emergency Response Coordination Centre, warned on July 29, 2026, that extreme heat and dry weather could leave the entire European continent on fire by early August. She cautioned that 2026 could become the most severe fire season in European history. This escalation follows a pattern of increasing intensity, with officials noting that the violence of recent blazes is unprecedented.

The crisis extends beyond the Iberian Peninsula. In Greece, three firefighters died, including two trapped in the Rethymno region of Crete. Blazes have also reached western Turkiye, while half of England is officially in drought. European Union Crisis Management Commissioner Hadja Lahbib has called for increased funding and improved forest management to align the bloc's strategy with the realities of global warming.