France, Spain and Greece battle wildfires as Europe swelters

BORDEAUX, France/ATHENS/MADRID, July 30 - France, Spain and Greece battled major wildfires on Thursday as soaring temperatures, parched vegetation and powerful winds extended a summer of deadly fires, mass evacuations and mounting disruption across Europe.

Over 20 aircraft have been deployed to fight new fires west of Bordeaux, and Spanish firefighters fear two fires could merge west of Madrid. Scientists say climate change is fueling more extreme fires across Europe.

Climate change is upping the odds of major wildfires, creating a need for new tools to combat them.

3 min readNew DelhiJul 27, 2026 05:51 PM IST Flames rip through a forest near Bordeaux, France, as firefighters battle fast-moving wildfires fuelled by extreme heat and strong winds. (Source: AP) More than 300,000 people have fled their homes as massive wildfires continue to sweep across France and Spain, driven by str