The wildfire picture across south-western Europe remains mixed, with French authorities reporting progress in containing a major blaze near Biscarrosse, while Spanish firefighters continue battling large fires before an expected shift in winds that could worsen conditions.
Macron: ‘We must rebuild a different forest’
The wildfire that broke out last Thursday near Biscarrosse in the Landes department of south-western France has now been brought under control, French President Emmanuel Macron announced.
During a visit to the Bordeaux fire and rescue operations centre, Macron said France would need to reforest burned areas while adapting forest management practices to the realities of climate change.
“We will have to replant and rebuild a different forest,” he said.
The French president also pointed to growing pressures from urban development and expanding tourism activity.
According to figures cited by Macron, wildfires have already destroyed approximately 116,000 hectares of land in France since the beginning of the year.
Race against time in Spain
In Spain, firefighting crews continue efforts to contain major wildfires burning near Madrid ahead of a forecast change in wind direction that could further complicate operations.
Fran Martín Aguirre, the Spanish government's representative in the Madrid region, said emergency services were trying to make the most of the time available before midday, when winds are expected to turn southerly and further fuel the fires.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska described the day as “absolutely crucial”, expressing hope that the fires could be brought under control despite unfavourable weather forecasts for the coming days.
Fears of two major fires merging
Authorities are particularly concerned that the Western Sierra fire in the Madrid region could merge with the major wildfire in Ávila, in neighbouring Castile and León.
The Ávila blaze has been described by the Spanish government as the largest forest fire in the country's recent history.
Together, the two fires have burned around 75,000 hectares in just a few days, while three active fire fronts continue to challenge authorities in the Madrid region.
Despite the scale of the emergency, some evacuated residents have begun returning to their homes as conditions improve in certain areas.
‘The most painful expression of the climate crisis’
During a visit to a coordination centre in the Valencia region, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned that the coming hours would be difficult because of rising temperatures.
He described the unprecedented wildfires as:
“The most painful expression of a climate emergency.”
Sánchez said such events are no longer exceptions but have become the norm.
According to the Spanish prime minister, more than 170,000 hectares have been reduced to ashes across Spain since the start of the year.
In the Valencia region alone, tens of thousands of people remain directly affected by ongoing wildfires, which have claimed one life and destroyed more than 7,000 hectares of land.
Source: CNA
