Two die as firefighting helicopters collide in Greece; French blaze changes course

Two people perished in a tragic helicopter collision while battling a massive wildfire in Greece, according to the nation's fire service. The incident occurred on Sunday, as the firefighting helicopters were working to contain the blaze northwest of Athens, which has already destroyed over 100 homes. Among the casualties were a Greek and a Danish national, while the crews from each helicopter survived. Investigations into the cause of the collision are underway.

The wildfire in question started in the Boeotia region and later spread to Attica, the area surrounding Athens. The cause of the initial fire remains under investigation, but early reports suggest it may have been sparked by conductors on a private network transmitting electricity from wind turbines to the main power grid, according to eKathimerini.

Meanwhile, another wildfire was raging on the tourist island of Kefalonia, leading to the evacuation of several settlements. In France, a fire initially in the southwestern Var region altered its course due to a shift in wind patterns, eventually spreading into a remote, hard-to-reach forested area. Authorities closed a nearby highway and evacuated an animal park to prevent further damage.

In Spain, efforts to control wildfires in the western province of Caceres were ongoing, with around 800 evacuees allowed to return to their homes on Sunday. Elsewhere, European nations are grappling with drought and falling water levels in major rivers, causing disruptions to shipping, tourism, and even forcing the shutdown of Hungary's sole nuclear power plant for the first time in over four decades.