The death toll from wildfires sweeping across Spain has risen to at least 14, authorities confirmed, as two separate blazes merged into a single massive fire, marking a sharp escalation of a disaster that has forced hundreds of thousands from their homes.
The fusion of the two fires has created a wall of flame that firefighters have struggled to contain, driven by scorching temperatures, gusting winds and parched terrain. The combined blaze has stretched emergency resources thin and deepened fears that the death toll could climb further in the days ahead.
Across Spain and France, more than 300,000 people have now fled their homes and holiday accommodation, triggering one of the largest peacetime civilian evacuation operations ever carried out in France. Thousands crowded into emergency shelters over the weekend as the fires advanced.
The escalation comes after wildfires had already forced widespread evacuations across southern Europe amid a punishing heatwave. Earlier in the crisis, Spain declared a national emergency as flames threatened the Madrid region, while blazes near Bordeaux drove tens of thousands from their homes.
Emergency services have deployed aircraft, helicopters and thousands of firefighters to battle the flames, but shifting winds and record temperatures have repeatedly undermined containment efforts. Smoke has blanketed towns and cities, prompting health warnings for vulnerable residents.
The scale of displacement has overwhelmed shelters in both countries, with local authorities scrambling to provide food, water and medical care to those who fled with little notice. Many evacuees remain uncertain whether their homes are still standing.
Officials have warned that the risk remains extreme as high temperatures persist across the region. The merging of the two fires underscores the difficulty of predicting the behaviour of blazes that can shift direction and intensity within hours.
Recovery teams are expected to search burned areas once conditions allow, raising concerns that the confirmed number of fatalities may not be final. Authorities in both countries have urged residents in affected zones to heed evacuation orders without delay as the fires continue to spread.