More than 250,000 evacuated as wildfires rage in France and Spain

A British couple holidaying in Bordeaux said they noticed the flames were getting worse as the fire approached on Friday night.

“We could smell smoke around seven o’clock. We thought someone was having a barbecue,” Maisie told BBC Newsbeat of her holiday rental.

Her partner Caleb said ash had now covered the pool at home and her feet were turning black when she walked outside.

They added that the smoke “really hits your lungs immediately.”

Evacuated residents in nearby Saint-Aubin-de-Médoc said the situation was “stressful”, while one local described the situation as “catastrophic”.

The final stage of the Tour de France on Sunday has been shortened from 133 km (83 miles) to 89 km (55 miles) so security forces can be redeployed to areas affected by bushfires, organizers and police said.

French President Emmanuel Macron will hold an emergency meeting with ministers at a time when nearly 30 fires continue across the country. The government said this was a completely unprecedented situation.