Europe wildfires latest: Macron says France facing ‘most difficult time since WW2’ as 40C heatwave looms

Europe wildfires latest: Macron says France facing ‘most difficult time since WW2’ as 40C heatwave looms Wildfires in Europe have displaced around 300,000 people this week Emmanuel Macron said France is facing its most difficult situation since the Second World War, as firefighters battle wildfires ahead of a 40C heatwave. The French president urged fire crews to “stay strong” as they try to bring the “unprecedented” blaze under control. Firefighters have less than a day to control the wildfire before a heatwave sweeps the southwest of the country and brings hot, dry weather that could exacerbate the blaze. More than 360,000 people have been evacuated across France and Spain due to fires as Europe bakes in one of the hottest summers on record. Authorities warned that the fires raging just 15km outside the city of Bordeaux could last for months, with crews from all over the country forced to rotate in to extinguish the blaze. According to forecaster La Chaîne Météo, a new “powerful” heatwave will hit France on Wednesday. With temperatures set to peak at 40C on the Atlantic coast in the afternoon, the new heatwave warning gives firefighters just a 24-hour window to control the blaze. What is a 'fire cloud'? Suha Kidwai reports: Experts have warned that the blaze raging in France and Spain has been driven by a “fire cloud”, which occurs when a wildfire generates its own unique weather system. Known technically as pyrocumulonimbus, or "pyroCB” clouds, “fire clouds” are a unique phenomenon where a full thunderstorm forms within a fire plume. They begin when intense fires release enormous amounts of heat and energy, driving huge amounts of hot air, smoke, and ash rapidly upward. As this plume reaches high altitudes, low atmospheric pressure causes the rising air to expand and cool. This rapid drop in temperature forces the moisture within the plume to condense into massive mushroom-shaped storm clouds. Dubbed the "fire-breathing dragon of clouds" by NASA, these clouds can generate catastrophic conditions that accelerate the spread of further wildfires. Read more here: What is a ‘fire cloud’? French firefighters face blaze creating its own thunderstorms British travellers brave the smoke as French wildfires force 220,000 to evacuate The Independent’s James C. Reynolds reports from Bordeaux: British travellers arriving in Bordeaux on Monday braved the smoke as an “unprecedented” wildfire continued to sweep through southwest France, forcing more than 200,000 people to evacuate. Firefighters were in a race against time to contain the blaze as it came within nine miles from entry points to the main metropolitan area, with a looming heatwave threatening to exacerbate the spread. Steve Bray, arriving from London Gatwick, told The Independent that he and his partner, Laura Slade, were spending a couple of nights in the city before heading to wedding in the south. “Our government didn’t say anything, the French government didn’t say anything, the flights didn’t say anything and the hotel didn’t say anything,” he said. They assessed that “the French authorities are on top of it and if it was ‘bad bad bad’, then we wouldn’t have been allowed to fly in the first place”. “It’s all good. Wasn’t put off at all,” he said, adding: “Overall, can’t complain. We’re on holiday, so - haven’t got work tomorrow!” Read more: British travellers brave the smoke as French wildfires force 220,000 to evacuate Editorial: For climate-change deniers, the heat is on As millions are affected by uncontrollable wildfires raging across Europe, and Britain braces for its fourth heatwave of the year, it is time we all accepted the evidence of our own eyes: For climate-change deniers, the heat is on 'This is the fire of the century', says French mayor The mayor of a town near Bordeaux has described the current blaze and the “fire of the century”. Jerome Steffe, from the town of Cestas, told Sky News that 17,000 residents had to be evacuated in previous days. “This fire is so enormous... it's something we have never, never seen in France. I think this is the fire of the century.” Mr Steffe told the broadcaster that the fires had been stabilised on Monday thanks to the efforts from fire crews and lower temperatures and some rainfall. He said his town was bracing for temperatures that could clim above 41C. Temperatures to soar on Wednesday as France races to control fires Watch: Distant wildfire almost engulfs home in just 8 minutes in chilling CCTV More people displaced as Spain evacuates two other towns More than 40 towns have now been evacuated in Spain after its interior ministry announced the evacuation of two locations near Madrid. People in Santa María de la Alameda and Las Navas del Marqués have been sent alerts, urging them to leave the area. The wildfires have forced hundreds of thousands of people out of their homes in what the EU on Monday called “one of the biggest evacuation operations in Europe.” Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments Bookmark popover Removed from bookmarks