Authorities warn of a difficult night ahead as wildfires intensify, forcing more than 300,000 people to evacuate across France and Spain.
Powerful wildfires have forced more than 300,000 people to evacuate across France and Spain as authorities continue efforts to contain major blazes.
Authorities in southwestern France expanded evacuation orders after the fire in the Gironde region, including around Bordeaux, intensified again.
Officials said the blaze generated strong local winds, complicating firefighting operations.
In Spain, authorities also ordered additional evacuations near Toledo, southwest of Madrid, as weather conditions continued to fuel the fire.
The fires have burned for several days despite extensive firefighting operations.
Two French firefighters were killed near Bordeaux earlier this week, while a separate wildfire near Valencia killed one person on Saturday.
In France, authorities initially evacuated about 197,000 people around Bordeaux before allowing around 3,000 to return.
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A further 55,000 people were later ordered to leave, taking the total number evacuated from the Gironde region to more than 200,000.
In Spain, around 60,000 people were evacuated from villages west of Madrid earlier on Saturday.
Authorities later expanded evacuation orders to at least eight municipalities near Toledo.
France has deployed 1,500 soldiers, 1,700 security personnel and additional aircraft to support firefighting operations. Officials said around 1,400 firefighters are battling the blazes.
According to French authorities, fires across the country have burned nearly 98,000 hectares. In southwestern France alone, more than 32,000 hectares have burned and at least 100 buildings have been destroyed.
Spain’s Interior Ministry said fires west of Madrid have burned up to 25,000 hectares. Two major wildfires have merged into one and are threatening areas near the capital.
Authorities in both countries have received support from the European Union through firefighting aircraft provided by other member states.
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