Macron calls crisis meeting as wildfires threaten bordeaux

Macron calls crisis meeting as wildfires threaten bordeaux

French President Emmanuel Macron has called an emergency cabinet meeting to coordinate the response to massive wildfires sweeping through southwestern France, as firefighters work to stop the flames from reaching Bordeaux.

The meeting comes amid forecasts of another heatwave later this week, raising concerns that high temperatures could further worsen the situation.

Firefighters battled the blaze overnight, while authorities in Gironde, the wine-producing region that includes Bordeaux, described the situation as “broadly stable.”

Bordeaux Mayor Thomas Cazenave said Sunday that the fire remained “at the gates of the metropolitan area.” At its closest point, the blaze was around 15 kilometres (9 miles) from the Bordeaux metropolitan area, which is home to roughly 850,000 people.

Wildfires across France and Spain have caused widespread disruption and forced more than 300,000 people to evacuate their homes. The fires have intensified as Europe faces record-breaking temperatures, with scientists warning that extreme heat is leaving the continent increasingly dry and vulnerable to wildfires.

Europe has already endured three heatwaves this summer, fuelling fires across several countries and contributing to new temperature records.