Wildfires rage across Europe as 568k hectares burn
Europe is once again engulfed in devastating wildfires, driven by extreme temperatures and prolonged drought across the continent. Emergency crews in Croatia, Italy, Germany, Spain, Greece, France, and the United Kingdom are fighting round the clock to protect communities.
According to the latest official data, more than 568,000 hectares of land have been destroyed across affected European Union nations since the beginning of this year.
Coastal tourism and historic landmarks under threat
In Croatia, fierce vegetation fires swept through key tourist hubs along the Adriatic coast. A blaze near Omiš advanced overnight to within 100 meters of the town center, cutting power to entire neighborhoods and destroying parked vehicles.
In Spain, wildfires threatened both residential areas and cultural heritage sites. Military units intervened to evacuate historic artifacts from the San Juan de la Peña Monastery as flames approached the nearby Peñas de Riglos rock formations.
Unexploded ordnance and maritime evacuations
In northern Germany, 1,800 residents were evacuated from a village as a forest fire destroyed nearly 300 hectares of woodland. Firefighting crews deployed helicopters and specialized armored vehicles due to the danger of exploding World War II munitions buried in the ground.
Meanwhile, in northern Italy, roughly 100 firefighters backed by helicopters worked through the night on Monte Goj near Lake Como to keep flames away from populated areas.
In Greece's Halkidiki region, gale-force winds rapidly spread a wildfire toward residential settlements. Hundreds of firefighters and volunteers carried out emergency evacuations, including rescue operations by sea.
Wildfires also continue to rage across France and the United Kingdom, forcing thousands more to flee their homes as emergency services remain stretched to capacity.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
