Wildfires, accelerated by an early‑summer heatwave that has scorched much of Europe, have forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 people from towns and villages in the foothills of the French Pyrenees near Perpignan.
The blaze, situated in Trévillach, has consumed at least 4,600 hectares (11,366 acres). The local prefect, Pierre Regnault de la Mothe, described the fire on X, while interior minister Laurent Nunez warned on the TV station TF1 that conditions were deteriorating again, and the battle would resume today.
Firefighters cautioned that strong winds could fan the wildfire further. One resident from Trévillach told AFP that the fire came within 300 metres of houses and spread faster than expected, leaving people in “staggering panic.”
In the midst of the crisis, the officials of the Tour de France urged spectators to stay away from the finale of Monday’s third stage – a 195.9 km route that ends in Les Angles. Organisers asked unessential personnel and fans to avoid the last 40 km to keep emergency vehicles clear.
European leaders have stepped in: President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU would dispatch four aircraft based in Cyprus and Sweden for firefighting assistance. The blaze also affected neighbouring Spain, where more than 2,200 hectares were destroyed in the natural reserve of Les Gavarres, and 500 people were evacuated in the Sierra de Espadan national park.
The heatwave has already pushed temperatures in some parts of Portugal and Spain beyond 40 °C, and forecasts indicate an ongoing risk of new wildfires. The BBC’s lead forecaster Matt Taylor notes that while the current heatwave may not break records like June’s, it remains exceptional for the season.
During June’s historic heatwave, France recorded its hottest day on average nationwide and saw at least 2,025 excess deaths, a figure that was mirrored in Belgium and the Netherlands. Climate experts warn that Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average, raising pressures on water supplies and increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events such as these wildfires.
