Around 12,000 people including 10,000 tourists have been evacuated from south-western France as firefighters continue to battle devastating wildfires. BBC reported.

The Gironde regional government reported that over 2,000 hectares (4,000 acres) of land have already been destroyed by the flames.

To prevent further loss, authorities have banned internal combustion and electric engines in the forested areas. Moreover, several key roads have shut down due to blazes. No new injuries were reported on Thursday.

Previously, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez paid tribute to the fallen French firefighters during a memorial event. The Gironde region remains under a red alert, with leisure sites in exposed forest areas ordered to close.

Evacuations were carried out across coastal towns including Le Porge and the nearby Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula. Displaced residents were accommodated in temporary shelters in neighboring towns.

Meanwhile, in the Var region of south-eastern France, some evacuated residents were allowed to return home to assess property damage, though authorities advised them to remain prepared for further evacuation as weather forecasters warned of a "very high" risk of forest fires.

Tragedy in Italy

In Italy, authorities paid tribute to a firefighter who lost his life. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi praised his sacrifice, stating he died "in service to the community."

Sicily Civil Protection chief Salvo Cocina reported over 350 fires across the island, including ten major blazes that prompted precautionary evacuations. He added that human action caused most of the fires, making firefighting a growing public order challenge.

Spain fights blazes amid extreme heat

In Spain, wildfires near Madrid forced evacuations, though most residents were allowed to return home by Thursday morning, except in Villa del Prado where an active fire continues to burn. Nearly 90 emergency personnel and a helicopter have been deployed to control the flames.

Spain's weather agency, AEMET, warned of an ‘extreme risk of fires’ with temperatures reaching up to 36°C.

The blazes come amid prolonged heat waves across Europe. According to a report by the Copernicus Climate Change Service, 95 per cent of Europe recorded above-average annual temperatures, making it the fastest-warming continent in the world.