Wildfires grip Southern Europe as heat wave intensifies

BRUSSELS

Southern Europe continued to battle raging wildfires over the weekend as a blistering heat wave scorched the region, triggering evacuations and emergency responses across multiple countries.

In Greece, fires remained active in several regions on Sunday amid extreme temperatures and dry winds.

Greek Fire Department spokesperson Vasilis Vathrakoyannis said the situation is "critical" on the island of Kythira, where ground crews and aerial units battled the flames for a second day.

Additional blazes are reported in Messinia, Laconia's Molaoi, Triada in Evia, Temenia in Crete, and Pontokomi in Kozani, despite the efforts of firefighters and aircraft.

In France, more than 1,000 firefighters battled a fast-moving fire near Marseille, which scorched 720 hectares of land and injured nine people. Flights were canceled, trains were halted, and residents were advised to stay indoors. Another large fire near Sigean in the Aude region destroyed over 630 hectares of land and forced hundreds to flee.

In Albania, 26 wildfires erupted nationwide on Saturday. A large fire near Delvina on Friday injured three people and forced the evacuation of around 2,000 residents, authorities said.

Neighboring Kosovo faced 29 fires over the weekend, with emergency services extinguishing 17. In Prizren, a blaze killed eight cows, while a separate fire in eastern Kosovo left about 40 sheep dead, local media reported.

In Bulgaria, a fast-moving wildfire in the Tran area of the Pernik Region destroyed nearly all homes in the village of Rani Lug and was advancing toward Serbia, the BTA news agency reported.

Pernik Governor Lyudmil Veselinov said the fire has moved into forested terrain and is difficult to control, though no injuries or deaths have been reported.

Additional blazes are reported in Strumyani Municipality, near Veliko Tarnovo, in the Ruse Region near the village of Nikolovo, and on the outskirts of Ruse in the direction of Razgrad.

In Finland, it recorded its 15th consecutive day with temperatures above 30°C (86°F), breaking national heat records, according to public broadcaster Yle. Meteorologists warned that the heat wave is expected to persist in the coming days.

In Serbia, authorities reported 27 active forest fires, with temperatures reaching 42°C (109.4°F) in recent days. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said one person was injured and 10 others rescued, while a total of 236 fires have been reported in open areas since Saturday.

Following the heat, heavy rain and strong winds swept across parts of Croatia and Serbia. The Croatian State Hydrometeorological Institute issued a red alert for Zagreb, Rijeka, and Karlovac due to intense downpours. The storms damaged roofs, toppled trees, and caused flooding and hail in several areas.

Meanwhile, Poland activated a crisis management team as heavy rains and strong winds swept the south, according to TVP World. Authorities warned of possible flooding and power outages lasting up to three days and advised evacuations of scout camps in storm-hit areas.

In Belgium, the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) issued a yellow thunderstorm alert for Brussels, Liege, Namur, and other provinces. Downpours of over 25 liters per square meter in 24 hours resulted in localized flooding and infrastructure damage, with authorities urging vigilance in high-risk zones.