27 JULY 2026 | The Prince of Wales has released a personal statement of support for those affected by and those involved in efforts to combat the ongoing wildfires in France, UK and Spain following a summer of heatwaves across Europe that have seen temperatures reach above 40C in places.
In a statement released through Kensington Palace social media, he said :
"Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the devastating wildfires across France, Spain and the UK. We are deeply grateful to the firefighters, emergency services and volunteers working tirelessly in extraordinarily difficult conditions. These events are a stark reminder of the challenges posed by an increasingly extreme climate and the importance of protecting both people and nature.
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Firefighters have continued to battle massive wildfires in mainland Europe over the past week which have forced 220,000 people from their homes in south-west France and over 116,000 people in Spain.
In France, the fires have already burned an area roughly four times the size of Paris with the worst affected area being Gironde, around Bordeaux where the blaze has spread rapidly tearing through forests and fields burning more than 420 square kilometres in less than 4 days.
In Spain, officials in Madrid say these fires are the worst the region has ever experienced. Separate wildfires in the regions outside Madrid have together burned an estimated about 297 square miles.
In the UK, wildfires have taken place at Cairngorms National Park in Scotland where around 70 firefighters remain at the scene supported by fire appliances, specialist wildfire resources & wildfire tactical advisers.
Emergency services have also dealt with multiple fires in North Wales including in the Rhinogydd Mountains. While the London Fire Brigade in the past few days, has faced more than 1,300 incidents including grass fires & property fires and rescued a person from the Thames.
