A raging wildfire in southwest France has forced the evacuation of 55,000 people overnight, bringing the total displaced in one region to a staggering 220,000. Flames are creeping closer to Bordeaux, the famed wine region city, as shifting winds and arid conditions complicate containment efforts. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the situation as "very unfavourable" and the fire as "extremely virulent and unpredictable." By Sunday morning, an estimated 42,000 hectares had burned in Gironde, much of it forest and scrubland.

Firefighters, supported by planes, helicopters, and soldiers, are battling the blaze, with 2,500 firefighters mobilized. The fire has destroyed 240 homes and injured 75 firefighters. The blaze is about 15 kilometers from Bordeaux's metropolitan area, prompting the partial closure of a major highway.

Bordeaux has opened an exhibition center as an emergency shelter for thousands of evacuees. A second fire in the Landes region has displaced an additional 36,000 people. Meanwhile, Spain is also battling wildfires, with tens of thousands evacuated and one death reported.