The fires in Spain and France were out of control and reached two popular Atlantic beaches.
There have been no fire deaths in France or Spain so far, but authorities in Madrid blame the heat for hundreds of deaths. Some 16,200 people have been forced to leave their homes because of two huge fires in southwestern France.
A wall of black smoke rolled toward the Atlantic on a stretch of Bordeaux's coast that is prized by surfers from around the world. Planes flew low to suck up water from the ocean as flames raced across trees. Smoke blanketed the skyline above a mass of trees.
In Spain, firefighters were supported by military brigades to fight forest fires. The majority of Spain's fire-fighting aircraft have been deployed to reach the blazes, many of which are in rugged, hilly terrain.
The European Union believes that climate change is to blame for the early start to fire season this year. Many countries are suffering from heat waves.
The second heat wave of the summer has seen many areas see peaks of 43 degrees Celsius. According to Spain's Carlos III Institute, there were over 300 deaths attributed to high temperatures in July. The previous six days had 27 deaths related to temperature.
Almost all of Spain was under an alert for high temperatures on Sunday, while a heat wave warning was in effect for a large part of France. After a vicious heat wave and poor planning led to thousands of deaths in the elderly, the French government has stepped up efforts to protect vulnerable populations.
The fire in La Teste-de-Buch has forced more than 10,000 people to flee at a time when most people flock to the nearby Atlantic coast for vacation. The Dune du Pilat is Europe's tallest sand dune and has been closed due to the fire.
The situation remains unfavorable due to wind gusts that helped fan more flare-ups overnight.
4,100 people have been evacuated this week due to a fire near Landiras. The dumping of white sand along a two kilometer stretch brought one flank under control, according to authorities. There is another flank that is still unchecked.
People who were forced to flee shared concerns about their abandoned homes with local media and local officials organized special trips for some to get their pets back.
More than 40 square miles have been burned in the two fires.
Emergency officials warned that high temperatures and winds would make it difficult to stop the fires.
The day will be very hot and we need to be very careful. The regional fire official said there was no favorable weather window.
Extremadura and Castilla y Len are home to some of the most worrisome fires in Spain. Images of smoke rising above wooded hills that have been baked under the sun are common in rural areas.
The Iberian Peninsula is prone to wildfires due to the dry conditions. The National Security Department said that Spain has had 25% less rain than normal since October.
The La Garganta de los Infiernos, or "The Throat of Hell," is a nature reserve in Extremadura and is suspected to have been set ablaze by vandals.
200 people are not allowed to return to their homes because of a fire that broke out near the city of Cceres that is threatening the Monfrage National Park. More than 2,500 people have been forced to leave their homes due to another fire in southern Spain.
Pedro Snchez will travel to Extremadura on Monday to visit some of the hardest-hit areas.
Hungary, Croatia, and the Greek island of Crete are some of the countries that have battled fires this week. A huge chunk of the Marmolada glacier broke loose, killing several hikers, as Italy was in the midst of an early summer heat wave.
The temperatures have reached the north. The first day of the annual four-day walking event in the Dutch city of Nijmegen was going to be canceled due to the high temperatures.
Britain's weather agency has issued its first-ever "red warning" of extreme heat for Monday and Tuesday, when temperatures in southern England could reach 40 C.
The chief executive of the College of Paramedics warned that the heat could end in people's deaths.
That's right.
Wilson was reporting from Spain. Mike Corder is a writer for the AP.
That's right.
All AP stories about climate change can be found at www.apnews.com/climate
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