Over a quarter million flee homes due to wildfires in France and Spain

Severe wildfires in France and Spain are forcing over 260,000 people to leave their homes. France is seeking international aid through the European Union; Spain has declared a national state of emergency in the Madrid area. Many tourists are waiting in shelters alongside local residents.

Severe wildfires in France and Spain are forcing over 260,000 people to leave their homes. France is seeking international aid through the European Union, while Spain has declared a national state of emergency in the Madrid area. Alongside local residents, many tourists are waiting in emergency shelters. A British citizen staying in France said he woke up at 3:00 AM from phone alerts and a siren, packed quickly, and joined a long traffic jam. In Spain, firefighters are battling forest fires in several areas not far from Madrid; the fires are not under control but are advancing slowly. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the government has deployed all available resources and will stand by the residents during the emergency and the recovery process. The European Union notes that Europe is the fastest-warming continent, at twice the global average since the 1980s, making summers hotter and arid regions drier.