A series of intense wildfires is sweeping across Europe, forcing hundreds of people to flee by sea in central Greece. In the coastal town of Agios Vasileios, approximately 500 individuals—primarily tourists—were stranded after a fire, fueled by strong winds, rapidly approached the area on Friday morning. Emergency services have been working to evacuate the population, with hundreds already transported by boat.
The situation in Greece remains critical, with additional blazes reported in Xironomi and on the islands of Crete, Paros, Andros, and Kalymnos. On Crete, firefighters are still managing hotspots from a massive fire that previously necessitated the evacuation of 8,000 people and destroyed thousands of hectares of land.
Beyond Greece, other European nations are struggling to contain significant fire activity. In Portugal, a blaze near Valpaços has consumed 15,000 hectares, including agricultural land, and resulted in five injuries. Meanwhile, Spain has seen over 200,000 hectares burn this year—a figure five times higher than the typical average for this period. While a record-breaking fire in the Ávila region has been stabilized, authorities warn that high temperatures continue to pose a severe risk of new or re-emerging fires through the weekend.
Turkey is also facing widespread fire incidents, with the agricultural ministry reporting 206 wildfires since Wednesday, including four active blazes along the Mediterranean coast near Antalya.
Experts note that while human activity is the primary cause of most wildfires, climate change and recent weather patterns have exacerbated the crisis. A mild, wet winter led to significant vegetation growth, which subsequently dried out during successive heatwaves, providing ample fuel for the current fires.
Source: BBC News
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