"Giant fire cloud" documented from space: deaths in fires in Europe, evacuations also in Turkey
Firefighters are battling massive blazes in France amidst a 40-degree heat wave; while 60,000 evacuees have been allowed home, authorities warn the danger persists. In Spain, the Castellon fire remains out of control, and a new blaze has erupted in Zamora. Two firefighters have perished in Crete, and Turkey is managing 90 active fires, with evacuations underway in Antalya.
France and Spain continue to battle massive wildfires that have raged for a week, leading to the evacuation of approximately one-third of a million residents at their peak. Despite growing optimism among crews, control has not been achieved in all sectors. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated that the next 12 hours will be "decisive" in the effort to contain the fire west of Madrid. Meanwhile, other Southern European nations are dealing with fires amid a persistent heat wave, with reports confirming the deaths of two Greek firefighters on the island of Crete.
In France, the primary focus remains the Gironde department. While control has been established over some sectors, sparing Bordeaux from evacuation, the situation remains volatile. Approximately 220,000 people were evacuated at the height of the crisis—likely the largest non-wartime evacuation in French history. While 60,000 residents have been permitted to return, new evacuation orders were issued yesterday for 4,000 people near the Atlantic coast due to flare-up risks.
"The situation remains very complex. We are still not out of danger," said Sophie Broca, head of the Gironde department.
Temperatures reaching 40 degrees, combined with high winds, continue to fuel the flames. Over 2,200 firefighters and 20 aircraft are currently deployed. The Gironde fire has consumed at least 420,000 dunams. Notably, the blaze has generated a "pyrocumulonimbus" or "fire cloud"—a phenomenon never before documented in France, where the fire creates its own weather system, including lightning and strong winds that further spread the fire.
In Spain, 10,000 remain evacuated in Castellon, while progress has been made in central regions near Madrid and Avila. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska has warned of three more "tough days" ahead. In Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reported that authorities are fighting 90 fires, with 81 under control. In Antalya, residents of at least 50 homes were evacuated as the fire caused damage to local infrastructure.
