Nearly 200,000 people have been evacuated due to fires in southwestern France, including over 167,000 in Gironde, Bordeaux’s department, and around 30,000 in Landes.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday the activation of an EU emergency mechanism, leading countries like Portugal, Croatia, Slovakia, and Sweden to send aircraft to aid France.
“Europe stands with France and Spain against these devastating wildfires,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on social media Saturday, noting that France is receiving assistance from five planes and two helicopters from EU countries, with four planes expected in Spain on Saturday.
France’s Nuñez confirmed that an Airbus A400 military plane will drop fire retardant on the wildfires Saturday afternoon, in addition to Canadair and other European aircraft.
The wildfires have stirred political controversy in France, with both the hard-left France Unbowed and the far-right National Rally accusing Macron of underinvestment.
Spain has declared a state of emergency in the Madrid and Ávila regions.
“Our priority is to save lives, protect communities, and fight the fires,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Saturday. Spanish media report that about 80,000 people are evacuated or confined due to the wildfires.













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