The fourth European heatwave is here, while France deals with "the most severe fire situation since WWII"
Flare-ups remain a huge risk as temperatures rise sharply.
Last week we reported about the fast-moving blaze that was burning thousands of hectares west of Bordeaux. As of today, Reuters writes that firefighters keep battling the huge wildfire at the same time as France, Spain (which also struggles with devastating fires), and more countries face the arrival of the fourth major heatwave in a month this summer, which will make fire extinguishing all the more complicated.
Temperatures in the French region are expected to rise sharply, reaching 37ºC tomorrow (Wednesday, July 29), while dry pine forest continue to fuel dangerous fire conditions. The blaze in the Bordeaux are has become one of France's worst wildfire emergencies in decades, to the point that president Emmanuel Macron called the situation the most severe recorded since World War Two, with 42,000 hectares already burned in the Landes area.
Once again, mass evacuations shape the emergency response. Around 220,000 people, including both residents and holidaymakers, have been evacuated so far, though it's been reported that some people near Biscarrosse have been returning home as conditions improve gradually. Authorities warn that wind, drought, and renewed heat can cause flare-ups (when a fire that seemed controlled suddenly becomes active or stronger again).
