Wildfire forces another 55,000 people to evacuate in southwest France

A raging wildfire in southwest France forced the evacuation of 55,000 people overnight on Sunday, taking the total forced out of their homes to 220,000 as the flames have crept ever closer to the wine region city of Bordeaux.

Authorities in the Gironde region, where Bordeaux is located, issued overnight evacuation orders for five more localities including some on the city’s approaches.

Their statement said gusting winds fed the flames overnight, accelerating the spread of the fire that has been burning out of control since midweek.

The Gironde prefect also ordered the partial closure of a major road heading southwest from Bordeaux that links it to the Atlantic coast.

The city’s mayor said the fire “is still at the gates of the metropolitan area,” having advanced to about nine miles from Bordeaux at its closest point.

A second fire further south in Landes region forced the evacuation of 30,000 people earlier this week, taking the total driven out of their homes by the blazes to more than 250,000.

In neighbouring Spain, authorities have evacuated 70,000 people this week because of fires west of Madrid.