Wildfire threatens Bordeaux as more than 300,000 leave homes in France and Spain

Fire is 'moving erratically' - but no plans yet to evacuate Bordeaux itself published at 07:01 BST Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from Bordeaux's surrounding region of Gironde in France. The main fire has caused an unprecedented 'pyrocumulonimbus' - a giant fire thunderstorm fuelled by its own winds and lightning, the National Firefighters Federation of France (FNSPF) said. Despite this, the Gironde prefecture said on Monday that the situation had remained 'broadly stable' overnight. France's Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said on Sunday the situation remained 'very unfavourable' and the fire was 'moving erratically' towards the city. Bordeaux mayor Thomas Cazenave also said on Sunday there were no plans to evacuate the city's population of about 850,000. The moderately encouraging news over night was that the main fire near Bordeaux did not get worse. Winds let up and there was even a little rain, which allowed the fire authorities this morning to report that the situation was broadly stable. The less good news is that the weather is about to turn very hot again, with temperatures of up to 40C (104F) expected locally tomorrow. The fire has now consumed an area bigger than the isle of Wight and is only 15 or so kilometres from Bordeaux city outskirts (nine miles). The motorway south of Bordeaux to Spain is cut, and there are no rail services out of the city to the south and west. The prefect for the Gironde department has urged holiday-makers to stay away. Huge wildfires are burning through France and Spain, as authorities warn there could be worse to come when temperatures spike again this week. More than 330,000 people have so far been evacuated across both countries. In France, firefighters are warning of a 'David versus Goliath' scenario in the south-western city of Bordeaux, where a fire is just nine miles (15km) from the population of 850,000 people. The fire in the Gironde region caused a 'pyrocumulonimbus' - a giant fire thunderstorm fuelled by its own winds and lightning. French President Emmanuel Macron will hold a crisis meeting with ministers this morning. Meanwhile, fires in the eastern coastal city of Valencia in Spain have forced 15,000 people forced to flee their homes. 'Difficult hours lie ahead,' said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.