Spain faces decisive days in the fight against wildfires as France keeps thousands of personnel deployed

Spanish authorities warned that the coming hours will be critical for containing the forest fires affecting the country, given a weather forecast predicting rising temperatures and falling humidity, conditions that will increase the risk of new outbreaks and hinder firefighting efforts.

The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) reported that, starting Tuesday, temperatures will rise and humidity levels will drop across much of Spain, causing the fire risk to reach "very high or extreme" levels throughout nearly the entire country.

"This situation will persist, or could even worsen, in the coming days," the agency noted. Temperatures of up to 102 degrees Fahrenheit are expected in central and southern Spain. France, which is also battling two major fires on the Atlantic coast, also expects further temperature rises.

Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated that Monday and Tuesday "are absolutely decisive days" for bringing the fires under control due to the forecast weather conditions.

Meanwhile, the Madrid regional government reported that the major fires west of the capital slowed their advance overnight, though they remain active.

"The situation has improved slightly, but the fire remains active," the regional administration stated in a press release, in which it urged the public to exercise "utmost caution."

Spanish authorities plan to begin allowing some of the people evacuated due to the fires near Madrid to return home on Monday. Francisco Martín Aguirre, the government delegate for the Community of Madrid, explained that plans are in place to reopen a campground from which some 4,500 people were evacuated and to also allow elderly residents to return to another affected area.

Fires in France

In France, authorities reported that the major fire affecting the southwestern region of Gironde remained stable overnight. President Emmanuel Macron was scheduled to chair a crisis cabinet meeting on Monday to address the situation with the fires.

The Gironde prefecture also announced a ban on vacation camps, including overnight Scout camps and those for people with disabilities.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported on Sunday that approximately 115,000 hectares have burned in France since the beginning of the year, a figure he described as much higher than in previous seasons. He explained that the country is facing between 30 and 40 forest fires per day.

To combat the massive fire in Gironde, France has deployed 2,500 firefighters, including a specialized team from Switzerland, as well as 1,500 military personnel and approximately 1,200 police officers.