France and Spain race to control wildfires as suburbs of Bordeaux begin evacuation – live

France and Spain race to control wildfires as suburbs of Bordeaux begin evacuation – live Officials in Spain warn winds could worsen fires on Saturday Tell us: have you been affected by wildfires in Europe? The French prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has requested the armed forces to deploy an Airbus A400M military transport aircraft earlier than originally planned to help tackle the major wildfires in Gironde, according to Le Monde. The French newspaper reported the aircraft’s use was not originally expected until the end of the month due to the technical preparations and tests required beforehand.

While the fires raging across forests in France are a dramatic reminder of three successive heatwaves in as many months, the state of the country’s rivers provides another, no less worrying insight into the impact of extreme heat supercharged by the climate crisis. The Loire, France’s longest river, is at a historical low, with the flow of some branches, including through the city of Orléans, reduced to a trickle between sandbanks. Two weeks ago, 16% of French rivers were reported to have dried up. A quarter of small streams were stagnant or had disappeared altogether, according to the national low water observatory. The re has been little rain since. Continue reading...

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Eleanor Ellington

Staff Reporter

Eleanor Ellington covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Nobel. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

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