Firefighters Race to Contain Unprecedented Wildfires Near Bordeaux, France
Massive Wildfires Threaten Bordeaux Amid Record Heatwave
Firefighting Efforts and Evacuations
BORDEAUX, July 27 (Reuters) - Firefighters battled throughout the night and into Monday morning to tackle huge wildfires threatening the French city of Bordeaux.
About 220,000 people have been evacuated in France, while in neighbouring Spain more than 75,000 people have been evacuated and a further 30,000 ordered to shelter in place, authorities said over the weekend, as Europe faces an intense summer heatwave.
Impact on Local Communities
"This is a fire of a size never seen before," said Jerome Steffe, mayor of Cestas, on Monday. Cestas is one of the suburbs that lies just outside the main Bordeaux city area and from where thousands have had to be evacuated from homes and holiday residences.
Progression and Risks of the Wildfires
The blazes, which broke out last week near the Atlantic coast, are now 15 km (10 miles) away from entry points to the main metropolitan area of Bordeaux.
Weather Conditions and Forecasts
A major risk is that temperatures in Bordeaux are set to rise to 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) later this week, according to forecasts from France's weather office.
Challenges for Firefighters
"It's a race against time before the heatwave returns," added Steffe.
Government Response and Climate Context
President Emmanuel Macron's government will discuss the wildfires situation at a cabinet meeting on Monday.
Record Temperatures in the Region
So far in July, high temperatures have averaged 32.2 degrees Celsius in the Aquitaine region, which is 7.3C above the month's normal high between 1961 and 1990, according to Reuters Climate Monitor.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta, Manuel Ausloos, Elizabeth Howcroft, Yves Hermann; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)