Southwest France wildfires push evacuations past 250,000 as Bordeaux threatened

An uncontrolled blaze in southwest France has prompted a fresh round of evacuations, with about 55,000 additional residents ordered out and the displaced total in a single region now at 220,000, while the fire edges nearer Bordeaux.

Officials in Gironde — the department that includes Bordeaux — announced Sunday overnight orders covering five further communities to the southwest of the historic city.

According to the authorities’ statement, strong overnight winds intensified the blaze and sped its advance. The fire has remained beyond control since the middle of the week.

The Gironde prefect also directed that a key highway running southwest out of Bordeaux be partly closed.

Bordeaux’s mayor said the fire “is still at the gates of the metropolitan area”, reporting that the nearest front stood roughly 15km (9 miles) from the city.

Further south, a separate blaze in the Landes region has displaced 30,000 people this week. Combined, the fires have forced more than 250,000 people from their homes.

Across the border in Spain, officials have moved 70,000 people this week because of wildfires west of Madrid.