Around 12,000 people have been evacuated from south-western France as devastating wildfires continue to spread across the Gironde region, days after two firefighters lost their lives near Bordeaux Airport.
Regional authorities said more than 2,400 hectares (5,900 acres) of land have already been destroyed. Officials have banned the use of internal combustion and electric engines in forested areas, while several roads remain closed. No injuries were reported on Thursday.
The AFP news agency said about 10,000 tourists were among those evacuated. Gironde remains under a red alert, with several forest leisure sites ordered to close.
Resident Yassmina de Freitas described terrifying scenes as smoke and ash filled the air.
“Ash… [and] half-burned tree bark” were falling, the sky was “very dark” and the smoke was getting “thicker and thicker.”
She said her family was evacuated on Wednesday evening, leaving behind two cats and four chickens.
“I could see the number of hectares burned rising steadily.”
Further evacuations were carried out on the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula as emergency crews battled the flames overnight.
The crisis has spread across southern Europe. In Italy, authorities honoured firefighter Alessandro Marchi, who died battling a wildfire in San Cataldo.
“He will not be forgotten,” Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said.
Sicily’s Civil Protection agency reported more than 350 fires, blaming human activity for many of them.
Spain is also battling wildfires, with emergency teams deployed around Madrid as temperatures are expected to reach 36°C. Scientists say Europe remains the world’s fastest-warming continent, increasing the risk of extreme wildfires.
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