UK declares drought as Europe battles wildfires in heatwave

Firefighters in France and Spain are racing to contain large wildfires as another heatwave sweeps across the two countries, with temperatures expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius in some areas. In the Gironde region of south-west France, emergency workers are bracing for more searing weather which increases the risk of flare-ups. Authorities say the worst blazes have been contained, but more than 2,000 firefighters are still deployed across the area between the coastline and Bordeaux.

Similar temperatures are expected in Spain's Madrid region, where tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes. Many have returned, but Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned that while there is light at the end of the tunnel, there are still challenging hours and days ahead. In the eastern province of Castellón, north of Valencia, another wildfire has continued to advance. Emergency crews said high temperatures, strong winds and difficult terrain have made tracking and tackling the flames very complicated.

In France, an exhibition centre in Bordeaux has become a makeshift shelter for hundreds of displaced people. Many said they left without clothes or belongings, and some expressed frustration at the lack of information. Volunteer Eloise, whose home is safe but whose workplace is closed, said the wind is the worst thing: "If it's too hot, it's not too bad because the weather stays like that. It's warm, but you know the fire can't move." Overnight, the fires in the Gironde were reported to have been brought under control by emergency services.

In Spain, firefighters near Madrid and Valencia continue to battle flames. Some residents have begun to return home to start the long restoration process. One resident whose house was singed but spared said: "Miraculously, I suppose it must have been my grandfather, my father, watching over us from heaven who made sure the fire came in here and stopped right there."

Meanwhile, in the UK, a wildfire that has burned for two weeks in the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands has left an "apocalyptic scene of devastation", according to park bosses. The blaze has destroyed about 10 square miles of moorland and forestry near Aviemore since July 15th. At its height, more than 500 firefighters were involved in the response.

As parts of the UK experience their fourth heatwave of the year, a drought has been declared across more than half of England. The Environment Agency has declared an official drought across seven areas, stretching from eastern England to central southern England and parts of the south-west. This is described as a "flash drought" that occurs very quickly with extremes of heat and lack of rainfall. It adds to a drought declared across parts of northern Wales earlier in the week. Temperatures on the day of the declaration reached 34.4 degrees Celsius at Charlwood, the tenth day this year with temperatures at or above 34 degrees. The combination of heat and lack of rainfall is adding to tinder-dry conditions across much of the country, with little rain forecast in the coming weeks to bring alleviation.

The wider economic and social impacts are significant. Local businesses, including wine producers and agriculture, have been destroyed overnight. Firefighters say they need hundreds of volunteers to help with water supplies and guidance through thick forestry. There is concern that these wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense, and local communities want better defences for the future, as these natural disasters, primarily driven by man-made climate change, seem set to become a permanent fixture of European summers.