Europe is once again in the grip of a severe wildfire season, with blazes from the Mediterranean to the Balkans straining firefighting resources and forcing thousands from their homes. The continent is bracing for yet another heatwave, following a summer of record drought that has dried rivers, scorched forests, and contributed to hundreds of excess deaths.
Greece: a contained blaze, but risks remain
In Greece, a new fire broke out on Monday near the village of Kouvaras, about 60 kilometres southeast of Athens, prompting the mobilisation of nearly 200 firefighters. By Tuesday morning, the fire service said the blaze had been brought under control, though the threat is far from over. Civil protection forecasts indicate a high risk of wildfires across much of central and southern Greece, including the greater Athens area and most of the Aegean islands.
The country has already paid a heavy price this summer. Five people have died in fires in recent weeks, including four firefighters and the pilot of a water-dropping helicopter. A massive blaze west of Athens destroyed dozens of homes in the seaside resort of Porto Germeno, reducing one of the last green spaces near the capital to ashes.
Spain: three fires, hundreds evacuated
In Spain, firefighters on Monday struggled to contain three large wildfires in the south, which forced the evacuation of around 800 people. The most serious is in the Andalusian province of Huelva, where more than 600 firefighters and 26 water-dropping aircraft are battling a blaze that broke out last week. Antonio Sanz, the region's emergencies minister, described the situation as "extremely difficult, complex and dangerous," adding that weather conditions were offering no respite.
"We have to be realistic: there is no forecast that the fire will be brought under control any time soon. There are still hours and probably days of intense work ahead."
Officials ordered the evacuation of the municipality of El Madrono, home to around 300 people, bringing the total number of evacuees to about 800. Crews are also battling blazes in Castellón and Segovia. All three fires have been graded level two for severity, reflecting their potential to affect populated areas.
Italy: red alerts and widespread burning
Italy is facing an extremely high fire risk across much of the country, driven by an intense heatwave from a North African anticyclone. Nineteen cities have been placed on red alert. According to the environmental association Legambiente, 80,325 hectares have burned since the start of the year, surpassing the estimate of 70,000 hectares made at the end of July.
Sicily, Calabria and Puglia are the hardest-hit regions, accounting for roughly 73% of the total area burned nationwide. But northern Italy is not spared: Lombardy is dealing with at least seven active fires, stretching from the province of Sondrio to the Brescia area, with hundreds of firefighters and volunteers deployed.
France, Albania and beyond
In France, 42 departments were placed at "high" risk of forest fires on Tuesday, up from 17 the previous day, amid a seemingly endless heatwave. After destructive fires in Gironde and Var, attention has shifted to the Drôme, where a fire continued its "slow advance" overnight.
In Albania, firefighters, helicopters and the army worked through the night to contain a massive forest fire on Mount Krujë. Authorities evacuated residents from several villages and detained a man suspected of accidentally starting the blaze.
The heat is also spreading to countries less accustomed to it. Swathes of Britain and France were under extreme heat warnings on Monday, with temperatures forecast around the mid-30s Celsius. Unusually high temperatures are expected in the coming days in Switzerland, Austria and Hungary.
As the continent endures another week of extreme conditions, the strain on emergency services and the environment is mounting. The fires are a stark reminder of the growing impact of climate change on Europe's landscapes and communities.
