Wildfires driven by gale-force winds swept across parts of Greece on Saturday, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate, while fresh blazes and worsening conditions were also reported in France and Spain.
One of the most severe fires broke out near Porto Germeno, about 60 kilometres northwest of Athens, where firefighters, police officers and emergency medical teams were forced to withdraw as a massive wall of flames and thick smoke engulfed forests and scrubland.
Greek authorities ordered the evacuation of the communities of Agia Paraskevi, Kryo Pigadi and Agios Nektarios, while helicopters carried out continuous water-bombing operations to contain the rapidly spreading blaze. Earlier, more than 200 residents of Agios Vasileios were evacuated by sea as the flames advanced towards the coastal settlement.
Officials have also issued an extreme wildfire warning for the regions of Boeotia, Attica and Evia on Sunday, citing high temperatures, dry vegetation and strong winds.
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In France, a wildfire in the southeastern Var department, which had been brought under control earlier in the week, flared up again on Friday, forcing nearly 2,500 people to evacuate overnight.
Local authorities said the fire had burned about 1,800 hectares before being brought under control once again. In the community of Montfort-sur-Argens, farmers assisted emergency crews by supplying water to firefighting vehicles and helicopters.
Spain also continued to battle several wildfire hotspots. Conditions deteriorated in the northern province of León, where a new fire broke out overnight while another remained active.
Elsewhere, the situation improved. Authorities lifted restrictions in parts of Zamora after a major wildfire was brought under control, while residents evacuated from the Vall d’Uixó area in Castellón were allowed to return home after firefighters stabilised the blaze. Police said they suspected arson after discovering two separate ignition points.
Major wildfires in the central regions of Madrid and Ávila, which burned more than 70,000 hectares, have also been brought under control.
Scientists say increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves, coupled with prolonged drought linked to climate change, have created conditions that are fuelling more destructive wildfire seasons across Europe.
The impact of the extreme weather has extended beyond the fires.
Austria recorded a record 395 heat-related deaths in June, while Britain, France and Germany have also reported thousands of deaths linked to exceptionally high temperatures this year.
Reuters
