Summary

  • Firefighters are tackling major wildfires in France and Spain, with one blaze around nine miles (15 km) from the south of Bordeaux

  • The fire did not get worse overnight, our correspondent reports - the winds eased and there was even a little rain

  • But the weather is expected to get hotter, with 40C (104F) expected on Tuesday

  • The motorway south of Bordeaux to Spain is cut, and there are no rail services out of the city to the south and west. More than 300,000 people have been evacuated across both countries

  • French President Emmanuel Macron will hold an emergency meeting today, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will visit fire-hit areas in Valencia

Live Reporting

  1. Some good news - but also some less good news

    Hugh Schofield
    Paris Correspondent

    The moderately encouraging news over night was that the main fire near Bordeaux did not get worse.

    Winds let up and there was even a little rain, which allowed the fire authorities this morning to report that the situation was broadly stable.

    The less good news is that the weather is about to turn very hot again, with temperatures of up to 40C (104F) expected locally tomorrow.

    The fire has now consumed an area bigger than the isle of Wight and is only 15 or so kilometres from Bordeaux city outskirts (nine miles). The motorway south of Bordeaux to Spain is cut, and there are no rail services out of the city to the south and west.

    The prefect for the Gironde department has urged holiday-makers to stay away.

    A woman looks at her phone on Saturday at the Bordeaux-Lac Exhibition Centre, which has been turned into a shelter for evacuated peopleReuters

    A woman looks at her phone on Saturday at the Bordeaux-Lac Exhibition Centre, which has been turned into a shelter for evacuated people

  2. France's Macron to hold emergency meeting as wildfire threatens Bordeaux

    Adam Goldsmith
    Live reporter

    A firefighter in some trees with a hose and small clusters of flames on the floorGetty Images

    Huge wildfires are burning through France and Spain, as authorities warn there could be worse to come when temperatures spike again this week.

    More than 330,000 people have so far been evacuated across both countries. In France, firefighters are warning of a "David versus Goliath" scenario" in the south-western city of Bordeaux, where a fire is just nine miles (15km) from the population of 850,000 people.

    The fire in the Gironde region caused a "pyrocumulonimbus" - a giant fire thunderstorm fuelled by its own winds and lightning. French President Emmanuel Macron will hold a crisis meeting with ministers this morning.

    Meanwhile, fires in the eastern coastal city of Valencia in Spain have forced 15,000 people forced to flee their homes. "Difficult hours lie ahead," said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.