Eliana Nunes

Emergency crews are battling major wildfires near Bordeaux as a heatwave forecast to reach 41C threatens to worsen conditions. More than 260,000 people in southwestern France have been evacuated, with fires damaging over 42,000 hectares, killing two firefighters and injuring 88. France is fighting 30 to 40 fires daily, while Spain has ordered evacuations for 63,000 people near Madrid. French and Spanish officials warn that the coming days will be critical as high temperatures persist.

Wildfires in southwestern France have forced more than 220,000 people to evacuate the region around Bordeaux, including the airport’s surrounding hotel zone, although flights are expected to continue. The main blaze has burned about 42,000 hectares and is being intensified by dry conditions, heat and shifting winds. Fires have also caused mass evacuations in Spain, including around Valencia and Madrid. Cooler weather may briefly help French firefighters, but temperatures are forecast to rise sharply, while President Emmanuel Macron prepares a crisis meeting and says France will need to rebuild and repair affected areas.

Two missing men from Preston, William Hutchinson and Stuart Tallis, were found dead inside a crashed Peugeot 106 concealed in dense undergrowth off the A584 in Lancashire. The vehicle, discovered by specialist officers, is believed to have left the road early on June 24. Police have informed the families and are seeking witnesses and any CCTV or dashcam footage to establish the circumstances of the collision.