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Over 300,000 people have been dislocated from their homes as devastating wildfires continue to sweep across Spain and parts of France, forcing mass evacuations and prompting the Spanish government to declare a national emergency.

Reports indicate that the fires have spread rapidly around Madrid and along Spain’s eastern coast, with new data showing that the rate of land burned across Europe has increased by 57 percent over the past four years.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) European Region, nearly 10,000 hectares have been destroyed in the Madrid region, while between 13,000 and 15,000 hectares have been consumed in the neighbouring Ávila province. Spain’s Interior Ministry also confirmed that the number of wildfires recorded in Spain and Portugal has more than doubled compared to the previous year.

The head of Madrid’s regional government described the current blaze as the worst ever experienced in the area.

In France, about 63,000 residents have been evacuated from the southern part of the country as multiple wildfires continue to burn simultaneously, destroying about 80 homes. France has requested international firefighting assistance through the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism.

WHO Europe noted that wildfires destroyed 2.2 million hectares of land across the region in 2025, up significantly from 1.4 million hectares in 2022, reflecting the impact of rising global temperatures.
Environmental campaign group 350.org said the crisis exposes the enormous cost of delaying action on fossil fuels.

Its global campaigner, Soraya Fettih, who lives near Bordeaux, said she was evacuated from her home as the fires approached the suburbs, describing skies filled with smoke and ash and communities forced to flee.

She criticised governments for continuing to subsidise fossil fuel companies while residents bear the cost of climate disasters. Fettih also pointed to TotalEnergies’ reported $11.2 billion profit in six months, saying communities are paying twice—through climate destruction and public funding that continues to support companies profiting from fossil fuels.

350.org noted that TotalEnergies recorded an adjusted net income of $6.03 billion in the second quarter of 2026, a 68 percent increase from the same period last year, largely due to stronger refining margins. The organisation stressed that while the full economic cost of the 2026 wildfire season is yet to be determined, the fires are being intensified by global warming linked to fossil fuel use.

It urged European governments to impose higher taxes on fossil fuels and introduce climate damage taxes on oil and gas profits to fund emergency response, recovery efforts and long-term resilience.
Meanwhile, the European Union has intensified support for both Spain and France. The European Commission confirmed that France has received five firefighting aircraft and two helicopters from the Czech Republic, Croatia, Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden, while additional helicopters from Germany and firefighting aircraft from Turkey are expected to join operations.

Spain has received six firefighting aircraft from Greece, Italy and Turkey, alongside three Portuguese ground teams made up of 134 firefighters and 41 vehicles. The Commission said the assistance is being coordinated and financed through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

EU Crisis Commissioner Hadja Lahbib said no country should have to face a disaster of such magnitude alone, assuring the people of France and Spain that Europe would continue to stand with them until the fires are fully extinguished.

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This is Central Business District (CBD) Bus Terminal, Eagle Square, Abuja.

It will become operational in September.

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A former General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumuyiwa Akinboro (SAN), has called on the Department of State Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other relevant security agencies to investigate the conduct of the recently conducted NBA national officers’ election, describing the exercise as a “sham” riddled with constitutional breaches.

In a 41-page statement, Akinboro, who was also a presidential candidate, urged the agencies to probe alleged infractions, including possible violations of the Cybercrimes Act and the Data Protection Act.

Akinboro said he declined to approach the NBA appeals committee, saying that the legitimacy of the election itself was in question.

He alleged that the election was compromised by irregularities, such as migration between voting portals, failure to conduct integrity tests and non-compliance with stipulated guidelines.

“Immediately the election was migrated to a different portal, it became a different election altogether that would require strict compliance with the step-by-step requirements as provided in our constitution,” he said.

He maintained that the absence of mandatory trial runs and integrity checks undermined the credibility of the process, adding that he would not “legitimise” the jurisdiction of the appeals committee under such circumstances.

The senior advocate further demanded an independent forensic audit of the entire electoral process, recommending that reputable firms be engaged to determine issues, such as the authenticity of reported cyber-attacks, compliance with electoral guidelines, and whether unqualified persons participated in the voting.

He also called for scrutiny of the use of multiple voting links, the failure of some voters to receive authentication codes, and the role and qualifications of service providers.

Akinboro, who urged the NBA leadership to make public reports of the election observers, including those from international bodies and local institutions, further called for the immediate reconstitution of the Electoral Committee of the NBA to conduct a fresh election in line with constitutional provisions, as well as an urgent stakeholders’ meeting involving the Body of Benchers, General Council of the Bar, and past NBA leaders.

He warned that failure to address the concerns raised could compel him to explore further legal options.

Meanwhile, President-elect of the NBA, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, has pledged to heal divisions within the legal profession and unite members of the Association as she prepares to assume office at the end of August.

Badejo-Okusanya, while speaking with journalists after paying a courtesy visit to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said her immediate priority was to engage members and stakeholders across the Bar with a view to fostering reconciliation, addressing grievances and strengthening institutional cohesion.

She assured members that her administration would be inclusive and committed to carrying every segment of the Association along.

The NBA president-elect said she would spare no effort in restoring confidence and ensuring the Association remained united and effective in discharging its responsibilities to the legal profession and the wider society.