France faces ‘very tense’ wildfire situation as Spain declares emergency

Authorities in France have ordered the evacuation of the entirety of the Cap Ferret peninsula (Lège-Cap Ferret) in the southwest of France, with hundreds of people escaping the area by boat, the BBC writes.

The tourism hotspot is being evacuated as firefighters continue to battle a wildfire that has raged in the Gironde region for days.

The fire, which began on Tuesday in Saumos, continued its progression overnight with 8,700 hectares consumed by the flames.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday night the wildfire situation in the country is “very tense” – referencing the Gironde region in particular.

Macron said he requested help from the European Union, adding the country will soon be supported by aircraft from Croatia, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Meanwhile, the government in Spain has declared a national emergency as wildfires burn out of control in several areas close to the capital Madrid.