Europe battles new wave of wildfires

Europe faced a new wave of wildfires on Friday, as soaring temperatures and dry conditions created dangerous circumstances. Europe, the world's fastest-warming continent, is particularly vulnerable to heatwaves, with scientists attributing the trend to climate change. The latest heatwave is expected to see over 150 million Europeans, mostly in France, Germany, Spain, and Italy, experience temperatures surpassing 35C.

Over 350 million residents, excluding Turkey, will face temperatures over 30C, accounting for three-fifths of the European population. France has already witnessed several major fires this season, with a recent one in the southwest forcing over 500 people to evacuate their homes. The blaze has burned 1,100 hectares in the Landes department, approaching the village of Luglon, with fire chief Arnaud Fabre concerned about potential flare-ups due to temperatures reaching up to 36C.

Meanwhile, western Germany experienced a wildfire that forced approximately 1,800 residents to leave their homes overnight, to which helicopters and army equipment were deployed. In Spain's northeastern Aragon region, a fire has killed 850 people and is threatening two 10th-century monasteries, with British firefighters under significant pressure to manage multiple wildfires amid soaring temperatures and drought.

In Croatia, firefighters battled one of the country's worst wildfires, displacing at least 1,000 people and injuring 19. In Greece, a forest fire threatened two popular resorts, evacuating about 500 tourists and requiring the evacuation of hundreds of firefighters.