Greece wildfire in pictures: Firefighters battle blaze worsened by 100km per hour winds

Greece is currently experiencing its second week of wildfires, exacerbated by extreme winds and heatwaves across Southern Europe. The blaze, originating in Western Attica near Athens, has been particularly intense due to Greece's notorious Meltemi winds, which typically blow in the region during July and August. Wind speeds have reached alarming levels of 80 to 100 kilometers per hour, according to multiple sources.

Tragically, two firefighters - one Danish and one Greek - lost their lives after two helicopters collided in the Western Athens region on Sunday. Remarkably, two firefighters aboard the second helicopter survived the crash, landing safely in an emergency situation and are now receiving medical attention. As the winds gradually subsided on Monday, water-bombing aircraft returned to the skies to continue the challenging task of battling the flames.

In a separate but related incident, a monstrous wildfire erupted in France's Bordeaux region late last July, subsequently spreading to parts of Spain. Together, the fires have scorched hundreds of thousands of acres across both nations. The situation has been labeled as "unprecedented" and "historic," prompting the largest evacuation in French history.