Residents and holidaymakers in France and Spain have described fear, stress and disrupted travel as wildfires continue to burn across both countries, scorching tens of thousands of hectares and forcing more than 300,000 people to evacuate. In Bordeaux, people are anxious as a wildfire burns just 15km (9.3 miles) from the city’s outskirts, with residents saying smoke has made breathing difficult and left the city shrouded in haze.
Pierre Pourquery told the BBC that people in Bordeaux are feeling "anxious and fearful". He said that people are wearing masks and some are struggling to breathe because of a "thick smoke haze" that has been blown across the city.
"thick smoke haze"
Another man, who plans to leave the city on Tuesday after seeing it "engulfed in smoke" said "it was like the scene of a horrible film".
"engulfed in smoke"
"it was like the scene of a horrible film"
Chris De Abreu, who is from Kent but works in France and has a flat in Bordeaux, described how "over the weekend the city was engulfed in smoke with the sun disappearing behind", with an "orange-like filter" over the city.
"over the weekend the city was engulfed in smoke with the sun disappearing behind"
"orange-like filter"
Though De Abreu said he is less concerned about his flat which lies on the other side of the river, he "can see a number of people worried about what is to come".
Elsewhere, Rachel Hanberry told BBC Radio 5 Live that her beachfront home in Biscarrosse Plage, which lies about 63km (40 miles) from Bordeaux, is located next to the town's evacuation point.
"Everyone came here on Thursday night,"
"People had nowhere to go. We offered our home to people."
The community there has "lost so much", she added. "The stress and trauma that you feel as someone living here is immense."
"lost so much"
"The stress and trauma that you feel as someone living here is immense."
About 700km away, in Cotignac in the south-east of France, Jo Barnes and her family returned to their home on Saturday, having evacuated for four days after a fire rapidly moved towards their property.
"A wall of orange flames came roaring up over the hill,"
"On Friday afternoon, the fire came back to our area... within 10 metres of the back of our house, we have a gas tank here, it was all very dramatic."
Though the surrounding hillside was blackened and charred, the town of Cotignac was undamaged and the Barnes' family home left intact.
Jo Barnes describes how she and her family evacuated their home which has survived the fires.
In the central Madrid region of Spain, where more than 27,000 hectares (66,000 acres) have burnt, residents have faced similar ordeals.
"Everyone had to get out of the village quickly, it was a critical situation and people were scared,"
Olga Congacha told AFP news agency that she and her husband did not take much when they left.
"[We] left with all that we could grab, our important documents, some clothes".
In the eastern Castellón province, Ricardo Pozo told AFP that he had "never seen a fire this intense before".
"I've seen major fires, but on television. Nothing like this, here and now."
Maria Garcia, who lives in Betxí - also in the Castellón province - described to how the fires had put life on pause for those who evacuated.
"You can't go out to work, you can't go about your daily life."
"You can see the mountains you've known your whole life burning,"
The wildfires have also upended plans for holidaymakers.
James Hillier had been visiting his son in the seaside community of Lacanau about 42 km (26 miles) east of Bordeaux in the Gironde department.
"The whole town got consumed by smoke,"
"There was ash falling from the sky and I noticed a big lump of it landed on my hand."
He and his wife left the town for Bordeaux on Saturday, but found that in the city "the air was acrid - it stung your eyes and people were wearing masks". They have since left to go to somewhere in the north of the France instead.
"the air was acrid - it stung your eyes and people were wearing masks"
Sarah from Hertfordshire realised that her family would have to cut their week-long holiday in Bordeaux short because of the smoke.
"We sealed all the apartment up, but it still had a really strong smell of smoke everywhere. It was quite worrying,"
She then warned her sister-in-law Georgia, whose family had been due to join them in the Bordeaux region in Lacanau, not to come. Georgia booked to stay in another region instead.
Georgia said she has not been able to secure a refund from her accommodation operator because the fire had not yet reached Lacanau at the time of cancellation.
"If we don't find a solution with them we currently stand to lose over £3,500,"
Sarah and Georgia's families made it to the Loire Valley over the weekend and have visited Chateau Villandry.
How widespread are the fires?
The wildfires have scorched tens of thousands of hectares across France and Spain and led to more than 300,000 evacuations in both countries. In Spain, more than 27,000 hectares (66,000 acres) have burnt in the central Madrid region alone, while fires in the eastern Castellón province have also forced people to flee their homes.
What are residents and evacuees facing?
Residents and evacuees have described rapid evacuations, smoke-filled air, ash falling from the sky and the emotional strain of leaving homes and communities behind. In France, people in Bordeaux and Biscarrosse Plage have had to deal with thick smoke, while in Cotignac a family returned home after four days away to find their house intact but the surrounding hillside blackened and charred.
How have holiday plans been affected?
Holidaymakers have had to leave early, change plans or seek refunds as the smoke spread across popular areas near Bordeaux. Families visiting Lacanau and Bordeaux moved on to other regions, including the Loire Valley, after finding the air acrid and the smell of smoke difficult to escape.
Key Facts
- A wildfire is burning just 15km (9.3 miles) from Bordeaux’s outskirts.
- More than 300,000 people have been evacuated across France and Spain.
- In Spain’s central Madrid region, more than 27,000 hectares (66,000 acres) have burnt.
- Residents in Cotignac returned home after four days away; their house was intact.
- Sarah and Georgia’s families reached the Loire Valley over the weekend and visited Chateau Villandry.
