Thousands of people evacuated because of wildfires in Spain have been allowed to return home after restrictions were lifted in areas of Toledo, Madrid, Ávila and Castellón. In the Madrid region alone, 24,000 people were told they could go back, while lockdowns on another 20,000 were also lifted.
Spain and France are bracing for the start of the fourth heatwave so far this summer, even as some fires continue to burn. One blaze at Burgohondo, 150km (93 miles) west of Madrid, remains active as authorities warn that hot, dry conditions could worsen the situation.
How serious is the fire risk in France?
In south-west France, the largest fires in the Gironde region are described as
"still stabilised"despite several flare-ups, but officials have warned of dry winds and temperatures of up to 41C (106F). The mayor of Le Barp, south-west of Bordeaux, Blandine Sarrazin, said the situation was
"getting harder"after two fires broke out the day before, and added that everyone had to be
"hyper-vigilant".
Sixteen departments or districts are under orange heatwave alert, including the Landes area further south. Fire service officials have also deployed special measures in Gironde to protect several sites linked to France's defence and aerospace industries. The so-called Seveso sites include plants that manufacture hazardous materials for missiles and rockets.
In the town of Le Porge in the Gironde, the mayor's office said a young roe deer was rescued by animal rescue volunteers.
What are Spanish officials saying about the Madrid fire?
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has warned that the next 12 hours will be
"decisive"in putting out the wildfire near the capital. He told reporters,
"Things are progressing favourably, with maximum caution,"because of higher temperatures, lower humidity and the risk of gusts of wind.
One fire remains out of control at Vall d'Uixó north-west of Valencia.
How much damage has the Burgohondo fire caused?
The fire at Burgohondo in Ávila province has already ravaged more than 43,000 hectares (108,000 acres) and is now considered the largest recorded wildfire in Spanish history. It has forced 40,000 people from their homes, and Francisco Bolaños, one of the team directing firefighting operations, said the fire
"has not moved a centimetre during the night", but there were concerns it could re-ignite because of the higher temperatures.
The focus is on stabilising a perimeter of 180km (112 miles), while fire service officials warn that hotter temperatures and dry winds could re-ignite fires.
Many of the 2,000 people forced to flee the fires in the nearby Tiétar Valley were cared for by volunteers in the town of Talavera de la Reina, some distance south of the fire. However, about 300 evacuees remained on Wednesday morning, and Mayor José Julián Gregorio told Europa Press that they would receive
"the same level of care as on the first day".
Has there been loss of life in Spain?
Although no fatalities have been reported in the fires surrounding Madrid and in Castellon on the east coast, authorities in the southern city of Seville say a woman who was badly burned in the Los Gallardos fire in Almería earlier this month has died of her injuries in hospital. Fourteen people died in the Almería fires, including UK and Belgian nationals as well as US, French and Spanish citizens.
Where else are wildfires burning in Europe?
Fires are also burning in neighbouring Portugal, in the north-eastern district of Vila Real. Civil protection officials told public broadcaster RTP that there is an active front of a kilometre and that they are keeping a close watch on a local water treatment plant and a gas depot near the town of Valpaços.
Wildfires have also broken out in Greece, on the island of Paros in the Aegean Sea and the southern town of Trifylia on the Greek mainland.
Key Facts
- 24,000 people in the Madrid region were told they could return home, and restrictions on another 20,000 were lifted.
- The Burgohondo fire in Ávila province has burned more than 43,000 hectares (108,000 acres) and forced 40,000 people from their homes.
- Spanish authorities say one fire remains out of control at Vall d'Uixó north-west of Valencia.
- France is facing its fourth heatwave of the summer, with temperatures expected to reach 41C (106F) in parts of the south-west.
- A woman badly burned in the Los Gallardos fire in Almería earlier this month has died in hospital.
