Wildfires approach Bordeaux as France evacuates suburbs

French authorities have begun evacuating parts of three suburbs west of Bordeaux, including the city’s airport, as a large wildfire spreads near the famed wine region, Dagbladet reports.

With flames continuing to advance despite significant firefighting efforts, officials in Gironde department ordered residents in affected areas to leave, according to a statement. The blaze has already scorched an area roughly one and a half times the size of Manhattan.

France now battles 32 active wildfires of varying sizes, with temperatures expected to reach around 40°C in parts of the country on Saturday. Nationwide, 141,000 people have been evacuated due to the fires.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened a crisis meeting Friday evening with interior, defense, health, transport, and environment ministers to address the situation.

The European Union has deployed three firefighting planes to France and four to Spain, both of which have requested assistance. EU spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said Friday that while authorities hope to avoid a worst-case scenario, they are preparing for a serious situation.

Norway has not yet contributed, with the foreign ministry stating it has not received requests for capacities Norway could provide.

Spain is also severely affected, with states of emergency declared in the Madrid region and Ávila province. Over 10,000 people have been evacuated in the Madrid area in recent days, while 1,500 were removed from a tourist complex and residential area in El Tiemblo. Authorities in several Ávila municipalities have urged residents to stay indoors.