PARIS, July 26: Firefighters are continuing efforts to contain massive wildfires in southwestern France as strong winds drive the flames toward the city of Bordeaux. Officials said the blaze remains out of control, with one firefighter warning they are still "far from having the fire under control", according to the BBC.
More than 300,000 people have been forced to flee their homes across France and Spain as wildfires continue to spread amid high temperatures and strong winds that have complicated firefighting operations, the BBC reported.
In Spain, authorities declared a state of emergency, although improving weather conditions have helped firefighters battling blazes outside Madrid. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned that "complex times" still lie ahead. Authorities in Valencia also confirmed that a man believed to be in his 70s died in one of the fires after firefighters found his body inside a burned car in the Salt de l'Aigua ravine in Manises, the BBC stated.
France ordered another 55,000 people to evacuate late Saturday, raising the total number of evacuees to about 250,000 across the south western regions of Gironde and Landes, according to the BBC.
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Firefighter Captain Nicolas Braz said the fire had become highly unpredictable, generating its own winds and whirlwinds, making it "erratic and unmanageable." He warned that another difficult night lay ahead for emergency crews, the BBC reported.
The French government has mobilised the military to support firefighting efforts. Army personnel have been deployed to clear vegetation and create fire breaks to slow the advance of the flames. President Emmanuel Macron pledged that France would rebuild affected communities and promised government support for as long as necessary, according to the BBC.
Smoke from the fires drifted into Bordeaux on Saturday, leaving residents reporting a strong smell of burning across the city, the BBC said.
Tourist Spencer Randall, who fled a wildfire near Bordeaux with his family, described the blaze as "frightening." He said his family evacuated during the early hours of Saturday to a location about 100 miles east, yet they could still smell the smoke. Strong winds, he said, were continuing to fuel the flames, according to the BBC.
A British couple holidaying in Bordeaux said they first noticed smoke on Friday evening and initially believed someone nearby was having a barbecue. As conditions worsened, ash covered the swimming pool at their holiday home and blackened their feet when they walked outside. They also said the smoke immediately affected their breathing, the BBC reported.
Residents leaving the town of Saint Aubin de Médoc described the evacuation as stressful, with one local calling the situation a disaster, according to the BBC.
Authorities have shortened the final stage of the Tour de France from 133 kilometres to 89 kilometres to allow security personnel to assist wildfire response efforts. President Macron is also expected to hold an emergency meeting with ministers as around 30 major fires continue to burn across the country in what the French government has described as an unprecedented situation, the BBC reported.
