Blazing Inferno in Southwest France Forces Mass Evacuations as Europe Grapples with Heatwave

Thousands of residents are fleeing their homes in Southwest France as an out-of-control wildfire tears through the Pyrenees, a region bordering Spain. The fast-moving blaze in the Pyrénées-Orientales department has already scorched over 11,000 acres, forcing emergency services to evacuate approximately 10,000 people from two dozen towns and villages. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warned that worsening weather conditions, including strong winds, are making the battle against the inferno increasingly difficult.