A wildfire near Paris has forced the evacuation of 1,000 people as firefighters battle two major blazes in the Fontainebleau forest, which have consumed nearly 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres). The fires, among the closest to the French capital in recent memory, prompted the unprecedented use of water-dumping planes from the Seine River. No injuries or deaths have been reported.
Meanwhile, Europe has recorded over 10,000 excess deaths during a record-breaking heatwave in late June, according to official data. In southern France, a sudden meteorological phenomenon known as a 'galerne'—characterized by violent winds and rapid temperature drops—slammed into beaches, forcing tourists to flee. Witnesses described the event as 'sublime but unsettling,' with temperatures plummeting by 11°C in just six minutes.
In Spain, authorities have identified 10 of the 13 victims from a recent wildfire that ravaged a remote expat community. The deceased include five British citizens, three Belgians, a French national, and a Spaniard. Ten people remain unaccounted for.