More than 100,000 people were evacuated as massive wildfires spread across southwest France and central Spain amid extreme heat and strong winds.

France ordered the evacuation of the Cap Ferret peninsula, while Spain declared its first-ever national wildfire emergency as multiple blazes merged near Madrid.

Officials in both countries requested European Union assistance as the fires overwhelmed emergency responders.

The fires have destroyed thousands of hectares of forest, homes, and campsites, with authorities warning they remain highly unpredictable, Reuters has reported.

Leaders said the combination of intense heat, dry conditions, and strong winds has created one of the worst wildfire crises in recent history.