Chaos Ensues Amid Additional Evacuation Orders... Wildfires Continue to Spread Across Parts of Europe

[Anchor]

Multiple wildfires in France and Spain continue to spread. More than 300,000 residents and tourists have been evacuated, and in France, even the Bordeaux region, well-known for its wine production, is being threatened.

Reporter Kim Yongtae has the details.

[Reporter]

Wildfires that broke out simultaneously in southwestern France have grown larger, fueled by dry weather and strong winds.

They are also threatening the French wine-producing region of Bordeaux, with local media reporting that the flames have spread to an area 15 km away from Bordeaux.

With additional evacuation orders issued for 55,000 people, 220,000 people have been evacuated in this region alone.

An area of 420 square kilometers, four times the size of Paris, has burned, and about 240 houses have been completely destroyed.

[Jean-Claude / Evacuated Resident : It is important to know when we can go home. We came thinking we would only be here for 24 hours, but it looks like we will have to stay for 48 hours, 72 hours, or maybe even longer.]

As security personnel deployed for the Tour de France, a world-class cycling competition, were reassigned to the wildfire sites, the race route was shortened.

Neighboring Spain is also suffering severely from wildfires.

Amid a declared state of emergency, 37 road sections adjacent to the capital Madrid and Avila have been closed.

King Felipe VI, who visited a shelter on the outskirts of Madrid, comforted the displaced residents while noting that a great deal of natural heritage has been lost and that significant dangers still remain.

With 60,000 people evacuated in the Madrid region alone, the total number of residents and tourists who have fled wildfires in Spain and France has exceeded 300,000.

(Video Editing: Jung Sunghoon)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.