Wildfires in southern France continue to spread relentlessly, forcing the evacuation of more than 10,000 people from 24 towns and villages near the Spanish border, while the European Union has deployed water-dropping aircraft and firefighters to assist.
On 7 July 2026, Reuters reported a major wildfire in southern France near the Spanish border that forced over 10,000 residents to evacuate from 24 towns and villages. Officials warned that strong winds would accelerate the fire's spread. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated that Europe stands in solidarity with France and has sent four water-dropping planes from Cyprus and Sweden, along with more than 100 firefighters, to support firefighting efforts in Tréville near Perpignan.
Pierre Reynaud de la Motte, the local governor, revealed that the wildfire has injured 16 people, including four firefighters, and consumed over 28,750 rai of foothill forest in the Pyrenees. The heatwave that has affected France and Western Europe since May and June has caused widespread drought, increasing the risk of wildfires this year.
Meanwhile, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) stated that Europe is experiencing global warming at more than twice the global average rate, causing heatwaves to occur more frequently and last longer. This week, southwestern France, along with Portugal and Spain, is expected to again face temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius.