Wildfires have spread across multiple European nations, claiming lives and forcing mass evacuations. In Greece, an elderly couple perished outside their home in the Peristeria beach area on Salamis island, prompting authorities to evacuate over 500 residents from the vicinity.
Spain is also contending with a major wildfire in Aragon that has raged for a week and threatened a historic monastery. A soldier died while assisting firefighting efforts in the region, and French reinforcements were mobilized to help contain the blaze.
Belgium is currently managing what officials have characterized as the largest wildfire in the country’s modern history. The fire ignited on Friday in the High Fens nature reserve and had consumed approximately 3,000 hectares by early Sunday. About 600 residents from municipalities in Liège province were ordered to evacuate, with some finding shelter in emergency facilities while others sought refuge with family. More than 250 firefighters and emergency personnel, including cross-border assistance from Germany, have been deployed. The operation has been complicated by the terrain’s sensitive characteristics—dense forests, peat bogs, and wooden boardwalks that cannot support heavy vehicles. International air support from Swedish water-bombing aircraft and helicopters from Belgium and the Netherlands has been essential to fighting the blaze. By Sunday afternoon, two fire fronts were reported to be under control, though authorities characterized conditions as still challenging.
Portugal has also faced multiple active wildfires, with five firefighters injured when their vehicle caught fire near Dine. Additional blazes were reported near the Spanish border at Boticas and Chavez. Croatia experienced a devastating fire on Friday that destroyed homes, killed one person, injured 40, and forced 1,200 evacuations from a holiday resort.
Experts attribute the surge in wildfire activity to intense heat across Europe, with climate scientists noting that human-caused climate change is intensifying extreme weather patterns globally. The EU has warned that areas experiencing “very extreme” wildfire conditions are scattered across the continent, with additional evacuations continuing in western Germany and southwestern France.
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