France and Spain wildfire witnesses describe "wall of flames", fear and stress
People in the French city of Bordeaux are feeling "anxious and fearful" as a wildfire burns just 15km (9.3 miles) from its outskirts, a resident has told the BBC.
Pierre Pourquery said that people are wearing masks and some are struggling to breathe because of a "thick smoke haze" that has been blown across the city.
Another man, who plans to leave the city on Tuesday after seeing it "engulfed in smoke", said "it was like the scene of a horrible film".
Residents and holidaymakers told the BBC of their experiences as emergency responders in France and Spain work to contain wildfires that have scorched tens of thousands of hectares and seen more than 300,000 people evacuated across both countries.
Voices from the Front Line
Chris De Abreu, who lives across the river, described how "over the weekend the city was engulfed in smoke with the sun disappearing behind", with an "orange‑like filter" over the city.
De Abreu said he is less concerned about his flat which lies on the other side of the river, but "can see a number of people worried about what is to come".
Elsewhere, Rachel Hanberry told BBC Radio 5 Live that her beachfront home in Biscarrosse Plage, located next to an evacuation point, welcomed people who had nowhere to go, offering her home as shelter.
"The stress and trauma that you feel as someone living here is immense." Hanberry added.
Jo Barnes, whose family returned after a 4‑day evacuation when the fire rushed 10 metres towards a gas tank behind their home, described how "a wall of orange flames came roaring up over the hill".
The surrounding hillside was charred, yet the town of Cotignac was undamaged and the Barnes’ home left intact.
Impact on Communities and Culture
The wildfires have upended plans for holidaymakers. James Hillier, visiting his son in Lacanau, described ash falling from the sky and a lump of ash landed on his hand.
Sarah from Hertfordshire sealed her apartment but felt a strong smell of smoke, warning her family to cut the holiday short, potentially losing over £3,500.
These experiences underscore how climate change and human activity threaten the land, the people who depend on it, and the memory of old ways tied to the terrain.
Related topics: Wildfires, Spain, France
