A water bomber drops water while fighting wildfires in Ares, western France (Caroline Blumberg/AP) (Caroline Blumberg/AP Photo/Caroline Blumberg)The blaze started on Wednesday near Cap Ferret peninsula on France’s Atlantic coast. A separate wildfire broke out in Landes, causing 31,000 evacuations, while both France and Spain asked fellow European Union members for help. Wildfires advance near Le Proge region, western France (Caroline Blumberg/AP) (Caroline Blumberg/AP Photo/Caroline Blumberg)The fires are being fanned by a heatwave, with temperatures expected to top 39C in parts of Spain. The two major fires near Madrid merged into one single blaze that had quickly charred 30 square kilometres (11.5 square miles) by Friday afternoon. Meanwhile, a blaze in Avila, less than two hours north west of Madrid, had consumed 90 square kilometres (34 square miles).