France, Spain continue wildfire battle as heat wave keeps Europe on alert

France and Spain continued battling wildfires on Thursday, with some blazes easing while authorities remained on alert due to high temperatures and the risk of flare-ups.

France recorded active fires in Gironde, Var, and Cote-d'Or, while 21 departments remained under orange heat wave alerts, according to broadcaster BFMTV.

Four firefighters were injured while battling a fire in the Var department before it was brought under control overnight. One firefighter suffered a fracture, while others sustained minor smoke inhalation injuries.

Operations in the area remained challenging due to intense heat and the expected return of southwesterly winds during the day.

In Gironde, firefighters expressed optimism after a calm night, as weather conditions made the situation more manageable.

Meanwhile, a fire in Cote-d'Or was contained but remained out of control, spreading across 141 hectares (348 acres), with 80 hectares (198 acres) burned.

The French departments of Moselle and Meurthe-et-Moselle were placed under red alert on Thursday due to a "very high" wildfire risk, while another 29 departments were under orange alert, mainly in northeastern France. The Var department was also facing a high wildfire risk.

Two people were arrested overnight in Gironde on suspicion of starting a wildfire, the Gironde prefecture announced Thursday morning.

Later in the day, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced in a media briefing that officials recorded 26 fires on Wednesday across France, and warned that the situation remained difficult dspite improvements in weather conditions.

He said France recorded 14,131 fires since the beginning of the wildfire season, burning 117,000 hectares (289,146 acres), including Wednesday’s blazes.

Nunez noted that four firefighters died during the season while no fatalities were recorded for civilians. He added that the number of injured firefighters exceeded 230, with most in Gironde.

He also noted that officials carried out 275 arrests since the beginning of the season, 31 of which having been detained.

In Spain, overnight efforts on a wildfire in the northwestern Zamora province reduced the danger level after two concerning fronts were stabilized, although several active areas and hotspots remained. The fire forced the evacuation of 14 towns while burning 11,000 hectares, according to the El Pais newspaper.

Spanish firefighters voiced concern over winds expected to strengthen in the afternoon, along with high temperatures.

Meanwhile, efforts continued to contain already stabilized wildfires in Avila, Madrid, and Toledo to prevent flare-ups.

Authorities were also monitoring other active fires in Castellon and Tarragona, as the country prepared for a new heat wave.

Later in the day, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced the end of the national emergency due to wildfires in Avila and Madrid, downgrading the situation to operational level 2.