Wildfires in the Gironde region continue to burn in France, and firefighters are working around the clock to stop the blaze, ahead of a sharp temperature increase in the area.

The next wave of heat is due to start on 29th July and temperatures could reach 40C in south-west France, and the same in Spain.

Eric Brocardi, spokesman for the national fire service union in France, likened the fire to David and Goliath. Four firefighters have been killed in recent weeks in France and around 2,000 are being deployed in Gironde to tackle fires burning through rural areas between the Atlantic coast and Bordeaux, he said.

The outbreak of new fires in 14 areas already hit by fire on Tuesday made the situation “dangerous,” regional prefect Sophie Brocas said.

“It’s not over yet,” she said.

Over 70,000 people have been compelled to evacuate from their homes over the past week in France due to the wildfires. Some 4,000 more tourists were evacuated to inland areas in the Gironde on Tuesday, bringing the total number of people evacuated this week in France to some 220,000.

Authorities have estimated that approximately 240 homes and other property have been destroyed.

Bordeaux is not in immediate danger, but one fire on Monday was only 15km from the city’s edge. District chiefs still worried about the city of Bordeaux and its surrounding area, said Commander Rémi Lassoureille, who is head of the firefighting effort in Gironde.

Due to smoke and ash, the city’s air quality has deteriorated significantly. In the impacted areas, residents were urged by health minister Stéphanie Rist to stay home, and health authorities are closely monitoring pollution.

One Essex visitor noted that Bordeaux was very quiet, with the air and smoke smeared over clothes. Firefighters were welcomed with applause by residents of the area as the ash shuttered the doors of restaurants in the Marché des Chartrons area.

President of the Bordeaux British Community Graham White reported that shops, restaurants and cafes were mostly closed. But, he warned, comparisons in some reports that likened Bordeaux to a Great Fire of London disaster should be avoided.

The impacts of the tourism and hospitality sectors are already being felt.

The wine estate, west of Bordeaux, was temporarily closed as a result of smoke, said Peggy Plouhinec, its general director. Rain on Sunday, which helped conditions, but the vineyards were not in danger, brought back tourists to the region, which was mostly deserted.

“The hospitality industry is going to be affected this summer, for sure,” she said, noting that it’s unprecedented.

Authorities evacuated all camping areas near Lacanau’s coast on Tuesday morning. People in the nearby town were given the chance to stay but warned of a possible emergency evacuation.

Midday, fire was seen to be spreading back again, and firefighters were heading to numerous locations.

Authorities are also investigating suspected arson. If convicted of initiating a fire, a man aged 23 will be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison in the Var region. Since 6 July, 184 people have been arrested, says Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.

Other parts of southern Europe were also experiencing widespread fires in Spain. Over 70,000 people were evacuated, leaving dozens of communities still in danger. An estimated 44,000 people were able to return home or leave confinement as some evacuation orders were lifted.

The Madrid region is among those hardest hit in Spain. Difficult days were to come, but there are indications of improvement, warned Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Portugal, some 400 firefighters were engaged in fighting a large fire on three fronts in the eastern Portuguese region of Guarda.

However, the most significant worry for people living in areas affected by the fires is the loss of their homes, businesses and forests. One Cap Ferret evacuee, who evacuated late last week, believes the strategy should not be limited to Bordeaux.

“Here, there are only trees,” he said. When everything is burnt, it is a disaster, ‘And when you see all that has burned.’