France and Spain are battling massive wildfires that have forced more than 250,000 people to leave their homes, with authorities deploying thousands of firefighters and emergency personnel as extreme heat and dry conditions fuel the blazes.
In France, authorities shortened the final stage of the Tour de France on Saturday to free up security personnel for wildfire response efforts in the southwestern Gironde region, where tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, including residents from areas near the wine-producing city of Bordeaux.
A specially modified A400M military transport aircraft was deployed to drop fire retardants on a major blaze in Gironde. The Paris police department said Sunday's final stage of the race would be reduced by one-third, with riders now set to complete an 89-kilometre route inside Paris instead of the planned 133-kilometre course.
Part of the race's security force will be reassigned to support firefighting operations in affected areas, officials said.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the A400M aircraft would join 18 other firefighting planes and helicopters in what he described as a "long and very difficult" battle against the flames.
Authorities warned that shifting winds could push the fire closer to Bordeaux. Firefighters were digging containment trenches, using retardants and taking other measures to slow the spread of the blaze, which was about 30 kilometres west of the city.
The French government has mobilized soldiers and sent 1.5 million protective masks to help residents and emergency workers cope with heavy smoke. Evacuation orders were issued for areas between the fire and Bordeaux, including parts of western suburbs and nearby towns.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu described the fires as unprecedented, saying the Gironde blaze had become so intense that it began creating its own wind patterns.
"Protecting human lives is our clear priority," he said, urging people to follow evacuation orders without delay.
In Spain, around 70,000 people have been evacuated as wildfires spread across several regions. The country deployed 2,600 firefighters, police officers and emergency personnel to tackle two major fires west of Madrid, supported by 19 aircraft and helicopters.
Residents described the speed and intensity of the fires as unprecedented. Javier Organista, a resident of El Tiemblo west of Madrid, said flames surrounded the area so quickly that residents had almost no escape route.
The wildfires, worsened by unusually early heat waves and the long-term effects of climate change, have overwhelmed firefighting efforts in parts of southern Europe.
Spain has recorded around 130,000 hectares of forest burned this year, exceeding the decade-long annual average of 100,000 hectares, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said during a visit to a fire command center.
He said improved weather conditions had created an opportunity for firefighters to contain the blazes. Several European countries, including Italy, Greece, Portugal, Croatia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, have provided or are preparing to provide firefighting aircraft and helicopters.
The Gironde fire began Wednesday near France's Atlantic coast and has grown to an "unprecedented magnitude," according to local authorities. Thousands of evacuees have been provided shelter and assistance in Bordeaux, where officials said facilities could accommodate up to 10,000 people if needed.
Authorities used emergency mobile alerts to instruct residents to leave affected areas, urging people to move quickly to safety.