Wildfires in France drive 250,000 people from their homes, creep toward wine city

A raging wildfire in southwest France forced the evacuation of 55,000 people overnight Sunday, July 26, taking the total forced out of their homes to 220,000 in one region alone as the flames crept ever closer to the wine region city of Bordeaux.

Authorities in the Gironde region, where Bordeaux is located, issued overnight evacuation orders for five more localities southwest of the historic city.

Gusting winds fed the flames overnight, accelerating the spread of the fire that has been burning out of control since midweek, the authorities' statement said.

The Gironde prefect also ordered the partial closure of a major highway heading southwest from Bordeaux.

The city's mayor said the fire “is still at the gates of the metropolitan area”, having advanced to about 15 km from Bordeaux at its closest point.

A second fire burning further south in the Landes region has also forced the evacuation of 30,000 people this week, taking the total driven out of their homes by the blazes to more than 250,000.

In neighbouring Spain, authorities have evacuated 70,000 people this week because of fires west of Madrid.