Fire crews in Spain and France battle blazes, Belgium sends backup

Key Points:

• In southwest France, a massive wildfire has forced the evacuation of 220,000 people, with firefighters and volunteers battling flames amid extreme heat and drought conditions that have made containment difficult.
• Spain has seen its largest wildfire on record, burning over 500 square kilometers, with thousands evacuated in the Madrid and Ávila regions; while some evacuees are returning home, fire risks remain high due to ongoing heatwaves.
• Two firefighters died heroically battling a wildfire on the Greek island of Crete, where strong winds and multiple fires across the country continue to challenge firefighting efforts and prompt evacuations.
• European countries, including Belgium and France, are cooperating with military and aerial firefighting resources to combat widespread wildfires exacerbated by heatwaves and drought, with warnings that 2026 may be the worst fire season in European history.
• Despite extreme wildfires in Europe and North America, global fire emissions are at a record low due to improved fire management and reduced burning in Africa and Asia, highlighting contrasting regional fire trends linked to human activity and climate change.