Thousands flee as deadly fires rage in southern Europe
Outside the Greek port city of Patras, firefighters struggled to protect homes and agricultural facilities as flames tore through olive groves.
As water-dropping planes and helicopters swooped overhead, residents joined the effort, beating back flames with cut branches or dousing them with buckets of water.
Firefighting resources were stretched thin in many affected countries as they battled multiple outbreaks following weeks of heatwaves and temperature spikes across Mediterranean Europe.
Aircraft rotated between blazes on the western Greek mainland, the Patras area and the island of Zakynthos.
Athens also sent assistance to neighbouring Albania, joining an international effort to combat dozens of wildfires.
An 80-year-old man died in one blaze south of the capital, Tirana, officials said Wednesday.
Residents of four villages were evacuated in central Albania near a former army ammunition depot.
In the southern Korca district, near the Greek border, explosions were reported from buried World War II-era artillery shells.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed condolences after the death of a firefighting volunteer in the hard-hit Castile and Leon region north of Madrid, where thousands have been displaced by evacuations.
The government raised its national emergency response level, preparing additional support for regional authorities overseeing multiple evacuations and highway closures.
A forestry worker was also killed Wednesday while responding to a wildfire in southern Turkey, officials said.
The forestry ministry said the worker died in an accident involving a fire truck that left four others injured.
Turkey has been battling severe wildfires since late June.
A total of 18 people have been killed, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers who died in July.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
12 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Spain, Portugal, and Greece battle wildfires
Firefighters in Spain, Portugal and Greece continue to battle wildfires as persistent hot, dry conditions challenge efforts to contain the blazes. Spain was fighting 14 major fires, according to Virginia Barcones, general director of emergency services. Temperatures were expected to climb over the weekend. "Today will once again be a very tough day, with an extreme risk of new fires," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X. The national weather agency AEMET warned of extreme fire risk in most of the country, including where the largest blazes were burning in the north and west. A heatwave which brought temperatures exceeding 40 degrees on several days this month was expected to last through Monday. Fires in the Galicia region forced the closure of several highways. The high-speed rail line connecting it to Spain's capital, Madrid, remained suspended. The fires in Spain this year have burned 158,000 hectares, according to the European Union's European Forest Fire Information System. That is an area roughly as big as metropolitan London. In both Spain and Portugal, it was the Feast of the Assumption, a major Catholic holiday usually marked by family gatherings and religious processions. In Portugal, nearly 4000 firefighters were battling fires on Friday. Seven major fires were active. Authorities extended the state of alert until Sunday, amid high temperatures expected to last through the weekend. A wildfire in Greece burned out of control for a fourth day on the island of Chios, prompting several more overnight evacuations. Two water-dropping planes and two helicopters were operating in the north of the island in the eastern Aegean Sea, where local authorities said a lull in high winds was helping firefighters early Friday. Following a series of large fires in western Greece earlier this week, the Fire Service was on alert Friday outside Athens and nearby areas in the south of the country, where adverse weather conditions elevated the fire risk. Firefighters in Spain, Portugal and Greece continue to battle wildfires as persistent hot, dry conditions challenge efforts to contain the blazes. Spain was fighting 14 major fires, according to Virginia Barcones, general director of emergency services. Temperatures were expected to climb over the weekend. "Today will once again be a very tough day, with an extreme risk of new fires," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X. The national weather agency AEMET warned of extreme fire risk in most of the country, including where the largest blazes were burning in the north and west. A heatwave which brought temperatures exceeding 40 degrees on several days this month was expected to last through Monday. Fires in the Galicia region forced the closure of several highways. The high-speed rail line connecting it to Spain's capital, Madrid, remained suspended. The fires in Spain this year have burned 158,000 hectares, according to the European Union's European Forest Fire Information System. That is an area roughly as big as metropolitan London. In both Spain and Portugal, it was the Feast of the Assumption, a major Catholic holiday usually marked by family gatherings and religious processions. In Portugal, nearly 4000 firefighters were battling fires on Friday. Seven major fires were active. Authorities extended the state of alert until Sunday, amid high temperatures expected to last through the weekend. A wildfire in Greece burned out of control for a fourth day on the island of Chios, prompting several more overnight evacuations. Two water-dropping planes and two helicopters were operating in the north of the island in the eastern Aegean Sea, where local authorities said a lull in high winds was helping firefighters early Friday. Following a series of large fires in western Greece earlier this week, the Fire Service was on alert Friday outside Athens and nearby areas in the south of the country, where adverse weather conditions elevated the fire risk. Firefighters in Spain, Portugal and Greece continue to battle wildfires as persistent hot, dry conditions challenge efforts to contain the blazes. Spain was fighting 14 major fires, according to Virginia Barcones, general director of emergency services. Temperatures were expected to climb over the weekend. "Today will once again be a very tough day, with an extreme risk of new fires," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X. The national weather agency AEMET warned of extreme fire risk in most of the country, including where the largest blazes were burning in the north and west. A heatwave which brought temperatures exceeding 40 degrees on several days this month was expected to last through Monday. Fires in the Galicia region forced the closure of several highways. The high-speed rail line connecting it to Spain's capital, Madrid, remained suspended. The fires in Spain this year have burned 158,000 hectares, according to the European Union's European Forest Fire Information System. That is an area roughly as big as metropolitan London. In both Spain and Portugal, it was the Feast of the Assumption, a major Catholic holiday usually marked by family gatherings and religious processions. In Portugal, nearly 4000 firefighters were battling fires on Friday. Seven major fires were active. Authorities extended the state of alert until Sunday, amid high temperatures expected to last through the weekend. A wildfire in Greece burned out of control for a fourth day on the island of Chios, prompting several more overnight evacuations. Two water-dropping planes and two helicopters were operating in the north of the island in the eastern Aegean Sea, where local authorities said a lull in high winds was helping firefighters early Friday. Following a series of large fires in western Greece earlier this week, the Fire Service was on alert Friday outside Athens and nearby areas in the south of the country, where adverse weather conditions elevated the fire risk. Firefighters in Spain, Portugal and Greece continue to battle wildfires as persistent hot, dry conditions challenge efforts to contain the blazes. Spain was fighting 14 major fires, according to Virginia Barcones, general director of emergency services. Temperatures were expected to climb over the weekend. "Today will once again be a very tough day, with an extreme risk of new fires," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X. The national weather agency AEMET warned of extreme fire risk in most of the country, including where the largest blazes were burning in the north and west. A heatwave which brought temperatures exceeding 40 degrees on several days this month was expected to last through Monday. Fires in the Galicia region forced the closure of several highways. The high-speed rail line connecting it to Spain's capital, Madrid, remained suspended. The fires in Spain this year have burned 158,000 hectares, according to the European Union's European Forest Fire Information System. That is an area roughly as big as metropolitan London. In both Spain and Portugal, it was the Feast of the Assumption, a major Catholic holiday usually marked by family gatherings and religious processions. In Portugal, nearly 4000 firefighters were battling fires on Friday. Seven major fires were active. Authorities extended the state of alert until Sunday, amid high temperatures expected to last through the weekend. A wildfire in Greece burned out of control for a fourth day on the island of Chios, prompting several more overnight evacuations. Two water-dropping planes and two helicopters were operating in the north of the island in the eastern Aegean Sea, where local authorities said a lull in high winds was helping firefighters early Friday. Following a series of large fires in western Greece earlier this week, the Fire Service was on alert Friday outside Athens and nearby areas in the south of the country, where adverse weather conditions elevated the fire risk.
Perth Now
13 hours ago
- Perth Now
Spain, Portugal, and Greece battle wildfires
Firefighters in Spain, Portugal and Greece continue to battle wildfires as persistent hot, dry conditions challenge efforts to contain the blazes. Spain was fighting 14 major fires, according to Virginia Barcones, general director of emergency services. Temperatures were expected to climb over the weekend. "Today will once again be a very tough day, with an extreme risk of new fires," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X. The national weather agency AEMET warned of extreme fire risk in most of the country, including where the largest blazes were burning in the north and west. A heatwave which brought temperatures exceeding 40 degrees on several days this month was expected to last through Monday. Fires in the Galicia region forced the closure of several highways. The high-speed rail line connecting it to Spain's capital, Madrid, remained suspended. The fires in Spain this year have burned 158,000 hectares, according to the European Union's European Forest Fire Information System. That is an area roughly as big as metropolitan London. In both Spain and Portugal, it was the Feast of the Assumption, a major Catholic holiday usually marked by family gatherings and religious processions. In Portugal, nearly 4000 firefighters were battling fires on Friday. Seven major fires were active. Authorities extended the state of alert until Sunday, amid high temperatures expected to last through the weekend. A wildfire in Greece burned out of control for a fourth day on the island of Chios, prompting several more overnight evacuations. Two water-dropping planes and two helicopters were operating in the north of the island in the eastern Aegean Sea, where local authorities said a lull in high winds was helping firefighters early Friday. Following a series of large fires in western Greece earlier this week, the Fire Service was on alert Friday outside Athens and nearby areas in the south of the country, where adverse weather conditions elevated the fire risk.
West Australian
13 hours ago
- West Australian
Spain, Portugal, and Greece battle wildfires
Firefighters in Spain, Portugal and Greece continue to battle wildfires as persistent hot, dry conditions challenge efforts to contain the blazes. Spain was fighting 14 major fires, according to Virginia Barcones, general director of emergency services. Temperatures were expected to climb over the weekend. "Today will once again be a very tough day, with an extreme risk of new fires," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X. The national weather agency AEMET warned of extreme fire risk in most of the country, including where the largest blazes were burning in the north and west. A heatwave which brought temperatures exceeding 40 degrees on several days this month was expected to last through Monday. Fires in the Galicia region forced the closure of several highways. The high-speed rail line connecting it to Spain's capital, Madrid, remained suspended. The fires in Spain this year have burned 158,000 hectares, according to the European Union's European Forest Fire Information System. That is an area roughly as big as metropolitan London. In both Spain and Portugal, it was the Feast of the Assumption, a major Catholic holiday usually marked by family gatherings and religious processions. In Portugal, nearly 4000 firefighters were battling fires on Friday. Seven major fires were active. Authorities extended the state of alert until Sunday, amid high temperatures expected to last through the weekend. A wildfire in Greece burned out of control for a fourth day on the island of Chios, prompting several more overnight evacuations. Two water-dropping planes and two helicopters were operating in the north of the island in the eastern Aegean Sea, where local authorities said a lull in high winds was helping firefighters early Friday. Following a series of large fires in western Greece earlier this week, the Fire Service was on alert Friday outside Athens and nearby areas in the south of the country, where adverse weather conditions elevated the fire risk.
