Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes as wildfires continue to rage across southern Europe, with France deploying thousands of emergency personnel to battle blazes in the southwest.

French President Emmanuel Macron called an emergency cabinet meeting on Monday morning to address the crisis, as authorities confirmed that 115 000 hectares have burned across France since the start of the year.

France battles unprecedented fire season

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the country is currently fighting 30 to 40 wildfires daily, with conditions remaining “very unfavourable” across major fronts including the southwestern regions of Gironde and Landes, and the Mediterranean Var region.

“At this stage, the situation remained stable overall overnight, without any major developments,” the Gironde prefecture said in a media briefing on Monday morning.

The department has deployed 2 500 firefighters, including a Swiss team, alongside 1 500 military personnel and around 1 200 police officers to tackle the Gironde blaze.

Local authorities banned holiday camps in the region on Monday, including Scout trips with overnight stays and camps for people with disabilities.

The 220 000 people evacuated from the Gironde region will not be able to return home “until the fire has been brought under control”, local prefect Sophie Brocas said on Sunday. She urged tourists not to travel to the area, warning that conditions could worsen on Tuesday due to expected temperature rises.

Rare fire cloud appears over France

The massive wildfire in southwest France has created a dangerous “pyrocumulonimbus” cloud, a phenomenon never before seen in the country, according to the spokesman for the National Firefighters Federation of France.

These fire clouds occur when a wildfire heats the air near the ground, causing it to rise rapidly. The rising air cools and forms a turbulent mass that can generate its own winds, potentially worsening fires.

Spain records largest blaze in recent history

Spain’s Minister for Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, confirmed that wildfires around Madrid have included the largest forest fire in the country’s recent history.

The blazes have affected 77 000 hectares across the Madrid, Avila and Toledo regions, with the largest area around Avila.

King Felipe VI, visiting a shelter for evacuees, said the fires had caused “incalculable” damage to Spain’s natural heritage.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned that “difficult hours lie ahead” despite positive indications towards containing the blaze. He was due to visit affected areas in Valencia on Monday.

Italy evacuates hundreds by sea

More than 400 people were evacuated by sea from Italy’s southern Adriatic coast on Sunday as wildfires swept through the area. The coastguard said several hundred more were expected to be rescued.

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