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A number of wildfires are continuing to spread across southern Europe, with several evacuations already underway as authorities in France, Spain and Italy struggle to contain blazes fuelled by high temperatures and strong winds.
Spain has declared a national emergency over fires threatening communities near the capital Madrid and the province of Ávila.
Authorities said on Friday morning that fires in the towns of Villa del Prado and San Martín de Valdeiglesias to the west of the Spanish capital remain “out of control,” although emergency crews have reportedly been able to somewhat limit their spread in the last few hours.
Thousands of people have also been evacuated from the region.
It comes as parts of Spain are predicted to see temperatures of up to 44°C on Friday.
France
France said it has requested the activation of the European Union’s civil protection mechanism as western Europe continues to battle a series of deadly wildfires and scorching temperatures.
In a post on social media, French President Emmanuel Macron said the situation remained “extremely tense,” particularly in the southwestern department of Gironde, where fires have affected more than 8,700 hectares.
“We will soon be able to count on reinforcements in the form of two Croatian Canadair aircraft, two Portuguese Air Tractor aircraft, and two heavy Black Hawk helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia,” Macron said.
The Gironde blaze broke out in Saumos on Tuesday and has since made its way towards the areas of Le Porge and Lège Cap-Ferret, where residents have been evacuated from their homes. Around 20,000 people have been evacuated in the region so far.
Macron has also paid tribute to two firefighters who died while tackling flames in the Mérignac suburb of Bordeaux on Tuesday.
“I extend the nation’s condolences, gratitude and support to their families, their loved ones and the firefighters of France,” he wrote on X.
In 2022, wildfires in Gironde forced nearly 50,000 people to flee as more than 30,000 hectares of forest burned.
A fire is currently also raging around the villages of Correns and Montfort-sur-Argens in southeast France’s Var department, where 2,700 hectares have burnt as of Thursday evening. According to authorities, around 800 firefighters have been working to tackle the blaze alongside aerial support.
Italy
In Italy, around 6,000 emergency responders, including firefighters, forest guards and civil protection officers, have been battling fires on the island of Sicily.
According to the regional government, the “most critical blazes” have broken out in Casaboli, Bivona, Alimena, San Cataldo, Galati Mamertino, parts of Madonie Regional Natural Park, and the Syracuse area.
A firefighter named Alessandro Marchi died while responding to a fire in San Cataldo earlier this week.
In a statement, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she was “deeply saddened” to learn of Marchi’s death.
“He lost his life whilst fighting a major fire in San Cataldo, carrying out his duties to the very end with courage, dedication and an extraordinary sense of responsibility,” she wrote on X.
As of Wednesday, wildfires had burnt 254,388 hectares across the EU since the start of the year, according to data from the European Forest Fires Information System.
That figure is higher than the long-term average but below the 270,449 hectares that burnt in 2025 over the same period, per the data.
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