French authorities announced on Monday that a massive wildfire in the southwest has consumed over 11,000 acres, prompting the evacuation of more than 10,000 residents across nearly 30 towns and villages.
The blaze, located in the Pyrenees region near the Spanish border, has grown rapidly since Sunday evening. Currently, over 2,000 firefighters are deployed in an intensive effort to contain the flames.
During a press briefing in Paris on Monday morning, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that the fire remains uncontained and continues to advance. He noted that firefighting aircraft are actively assisting ground crews in the suppression efforts.
The emergency is not isolated to France; several wildfires also impacted the Mediterranean coast of Spain over the weekend, forcing approximately 500 people to flee. These fires reached the Sierra de Espadán Natural Park, a vital habitat for cork oak trees.
Although some Spanish blazes have been stabilized, the Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Emergencies has issued warnings regarding an extreme risk of further forest fires as high temperatures continue throughout the week.
The current crisis in France is part of a broader pattern of intense heat waves affecting Europe since May, which have severely disrupted continental life and led to multiple fatalities.
Despite the ongoing emergency, the Tour de France—which launched in Barcelona on Saturday—is set to continue, with its route remaining roughly 40 miles from the active evacuation zones. However, Minister Nuñez informed reporters that the third stage of the race will proceed without spectators or the customary caravan of sponsor vehicles, as security and emergency personnel have been redirected to combat the wildfires.