Spain and France wildfires force more than 300,000 to flee as Macron calls crisis meeting

COTIGNAC, FRANCE - JULY 21: Bystanders watch the smoke and flames from a wildfire on July 21, 2026 in Cotignac, France. Over 1,000 firefighters were called in to control the fast-moving wildfire that has burned more than 2,500 hectares in southern France. (Photo by FBM Media/Getty Images)Fbm Media | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesWildfires are ravaging southern France and spreading into Spain, forcing more than 300,000 people to flee ahead of further expected heatwaves during the week. French President Emmanuel Macron is set to hold a crisis cabinet meeting on Monday, while Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will visit areas hit by fires in Valencia, in the East of Spain.The fire, which began in the Southwest of France in Gironde, has burned 42,000 hectares and has forced one of the largest evacuations in France's history, according to French broadcaster France 24 and local news outlets. The wildfires have also affected 77,000 hectares of the Avila and Toledo areas in Western Madrid. "The situation remains highly unfavorable," France's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on X on Saturday, according to a Google translation. "At the start of the night, in Gironde, the fire became...