Firefighters Combat Major Wildfire In Southwestern France

The blaze in the Gironde and Landes regions near Bordeaux forced the evacuation of about 10,000 people and destroyed at least 16 houses.

More than 1,000 firefighters were struggling Thursday to contain a major wildfire that has burned a large area of pine forest in southwestern France, in a region that was already ravaged by flames last month.

Local authorities said more than 26 square miles have burned since Tuesday in the Gironde region and neighboring Landes as France, like other European countries, swelters through a hot and dry summer.

Temperatures were expected to reach 104 F on Thursday in the region.