Large-scale wildfires are sweeping across southern Europe, with France, Spain, and Greece all experiencing significant blazes. In southwestern France, fires have charred approximately 42,000 hectares of land near Bordeaux, prompting the evacuation of around 220,000 people. French authorities reported progress on Thursday, allowing 84,000 evacuees to return home as cooler temperatures and potential rain offered relief. The French interior minister stated the situation remains “quite complicated” with the fire stabilized but not yet contained.
Greece has become the latest country to face summer wildfires, with strong winds fanning flames across the island of Crete in the Rethymno region. Authorities have evacuated thousands of residents and tourists, and the Greek Coast Guard has conducted dramatic sea rescues of people trapped by rapidly spreading fires. Three firefighters died in Greece while battling the blazes on Wednesday, with two additional injuries reported on Thursday as firefighting operations continued into a second day.
The broader European wildfire situation reflects the impact of consecutive heatwaves, with records already being broken across the continent. Spain’s Galicia region, which experienced its worst wildfire year in 2025 with nearly 119,000 hectares burned, is implementing preventive measures using native livestock to graze on flammable undergrowth. A major incident has also been declared in Suffolk, England, where approximately 90 firefighters are tackling a large-scale wind-driven heathland fire. French officials have framed the response through immediate crisis management and longer-term climate change concerns.
Sources
- The Guardian World
- France24
- BBC World
- France24 (2)
- France24 (3)
- Deutsche Welle World
- France24 (4)
- France24 (5)
- France24 (6)
- France24 (7)
- The Guardian World (2)
- Al Jazeera
- France24 (8)
Featured photo by Maksim Shutov on Unsplash