Wildfire Forces 10,000 Evacuations in Southern France Near Spanish Border

A wildfire burning out of control in southern France forced the evacuation of 10,000 people from two dozen small towns and villages near the Spanish border, as strong winds on Monday threatened to fan the blaze.

“Wildfire in southern France forces evacuation of 10,000 people A wildfire has forced the evacuation of thousands of people in southern France as the country grapples with the impacts of an early summer heatwave that scorched much of Europe”

BBC

The fire, located in Trévillach near Perpignan in the French Pyrenees, had scorched some 4,600 hectares in the foothills, local prefect Pierre Regnault de la Mothe said in a post on X.

BBC

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme said the Trevillach blaze led to the closure of the area to the public on Monday to allow firefighters easy access, while the stage from Granollers to Les Angles was set to proceed with spectators kept away.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X, "Europe stands with France," as the EU prepared to send four waterbombing aircraft to France from Cyprus and Sweden.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez cautioned on French TV station TF1, "This morning conditions are deteriorating again," as authorities warned that strong winds could further fan the wildfire.

Authorities warned that the wildfire risk was being driven by an early summer heatwave that scorched much of Europe, with temperatures forecast to once again hit 40 C in southwest France this week.

The Tour de France’s third stage, which is 195.9km long and begins in the Spanish city of Granollers and concludes in Les Angles, was set to be limited to the passage of riders only and vehicles essential to organizing the race.

CBC

Race director Christian Prudhomme said, "An exceptional fire calls for exceptional measures for the Tour," and the BBC reported that organizers invited the public "not to come to the edge of the race or to the finish site."

In Greece, flames set off by a forest fire tore through two factories in Thessaloniki, forcing authorities to evacuate the surrounding area and to warn households to keep their windows closed due to toxic smoke.

In Spain, the fire near the northeastern Costa Brava coast burned more than 2,200 hectares in two days, and firefighters said their efforts would be "complicated" by rising temperatures and the many "smoking hotspots" within the fire’s perimeter.

Beyond France, wildfires and heatwaves were forcing evacuations and stretching firefighting resources across southern Europe, with the Guardian saying hundreds of firefighters were tackling blazes that had burned through almost 20,000 hectares in Portugal, Spain, France and Greece.

“CNN's Derek Van Dam has more”

CNN

The Guardian reported that the Pyrenees fire had nearly tripled in size since Sunday and that 700 firefighters were struggling to contain an out-of-control wildfire that had scorched 5,000 hectares and prompted the evacuation of more than 10,000 people.

In France, the EU’s planned support included four waterbombing aircraft based in Cyprus and Sweden, while the BBC said Tour spectators were urged to stay away from the conclusion of the third stage to allow access for emergency vehicles.

The BBC also warned that temperatures could once again reach 40C in south-west France this week and said the risk of further wildfires would remain elevated because little widespread rain was forecast.

In Portugal, the CBC reported that the fire ravaged 2,200 hectares on the Spanish side of the border and that in Portugal the biggest blaze had already burned through 10,000 hectares of land, as officials described the fire and weather conditions as a "powder keg."