A lethal summer of extreme heat in Europe is being compounded by major wildfires, with mass evacuations underway in France and smoke from the blazes reaching parts of Madrid.
The fast-moving blazes are disrupting daily life for tens of thousands of people during the peak holiday season as heat-fueled disasters escalate rapidly, CBS News reported.
What's happening?
Near Bordeaux, a huge wildfire in the Cap Ferret area has pushed about 40,000 residents and tourists out of southwestern France.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez called it "the largest fire of the season" and said the blaze has burned more than 25,000 acres, including 80 homes, around 50 of which were completely destroyed.
In the larger Madrid region, more than 10,000 people have been evacuated in recent days.
Two fires were burning out of control less than 62 miles from the capital, as many residents woke up to the smell of smoke.
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In France, health officials recorded at least 5,700 excess deaths last month during a historic heat wave, after the country set its hottest-ever days on June 24 and June 25.
Elsewhere in southern Europe, temperatures have climbed past 104 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas, and three firefighters have died.
Why does it matter?
Intensifying extreme weather disasters threaten lives and livelihoods at the same time, destroying homes, disrupting tourism and local businesses, straining emergency services, and exposing families to hazardous smoke and extreme heat.
Wildfire smoke can worsen asthma, as well as heart and lung conditions.
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Prolonged heat can raise the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and death, especially for older adults, outdoor workers, and people without reliable access to cooling.
Evacuations also carry steep financial and emotional costs, from lost wages and damaged property to canceled trips and sudden displacement.
CBS News cited satellite data from the European Forest Fire Information System showing that the area burned across EU countries this year is the second-largest on record.
What's being done?
While firefighters use water-bombing aircraft to try to contain the flames, French authorities have ordered thousands of people to leave campsites and holiday homes.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the country had activated the European Union's civil protection mechanism to request assistance, and the EU would provide three water-bombing planes.
Crews are battling fires in the Madrid region under difficult conditions after Spain declared a state of emergency there.
"Meteorological conditions, fundamentally the wind, will complicate firefighting operations this Friday," the Madrid regional government warned.
In Sicily and Calabria, thousands of emergency workers are battling additional fires.
As the fires continue to spread, the human toll remains front and center.
"The gendarmes came and knocked on every door, the fire was about 500 meters (yards) away — we grabbed some things and left," said Patrick Martineau, a 69-year-old resident of Le Porge near Bordeaux.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described the ongoing situation as "dramatic."
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