Temperatures soared again in France and Spain yesterday in a fourth heatwave of the summer, increasing the threat from wildfires that have forced large-scale evacuations of people, scorched through forests and killed wildlife.

In Spain, weather agency AEMET said temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius yesterday in at least six regions on orange alert, the second-highest level.

In France, temperatures in the southwest, hit by devastating fires, rose from around 33C on Tuesday to peak at 42C, according to Meteo France, while dry winds from the southwest in the morning and from the west in the afternoon stoked flames.

French firefighters kept a major blaze west of Bordeaux stable on Tuesday overnight, but officials warned it was far from over yet.

“As we speak, the situation is stable but the fire is still not under control,” firefighter commander Matthieu Jomain told reporters. Europe has endured record-breaking heatwaves this year.