France and Spain battle ‘unpredictable’ wildfires as 300,000 evacuated

BORDEAUX : France fought an “unpredictable” wildfire close to Bordeaux on Sunday while Spain warned of “difficult hours” in its own fiery battle, with evacuations from danger zones in both countries mounting to well over 300,000 people. The forest infernos, raging for days unchecked in France’s southwest and in central Spain near Madrid, were among the worst each nation has seen in peacetime.

France’s major fire remained unchecked and volatile — driven by gusts that in some cases were generated by the turbulent blazes themselves.

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