Wildfires: Belgium battles blaze, France's Lecornu jeered

Belgium, France, and Spain are all battling wildfires amidst a continent-wide spate of blazes following a hot and dry spell.

In Belgium, 500 firefighters and troops are contending with a massive blaze in the High Fens park near the German border. The fire, which started on Friday, has scorched 3,000 hectares and is the country's largest in modern history. King Philippe cut his summer vacation to tour the site and address emergency services, describing the park as a "national treasure."

France's Defense Minister announced that Germany would dispatch two military water-bombing helicopters to assist with the High Fens fire. Meanwhile, smoke from the blaze has drifted into France.

Greece's Salamina island has seen two fires extinguished, but they claimed two lives and forced the evacuation of nearly 500 residents by boat. The fires spread rapidly due to strong winds.

French Prime Minister Sebastian Lecornu faced criticism in the village of Le Porge, where 183 homes were destroyed last month in a wildfire that evacuated over 220,000 residents and tourists. Lecornu's response to the disaster has come under scrutiny, with residents accusing authorities of prioritizing wealthier areas like the upscale Cap-Ferret peninsula.

In Aragon, Spain, a Spanish soldier was killed, and hundreds were evacuated as a wildfire threatened a 1,000-year-old monastery. French firefighters were deployed to help contain the blaze, which has ravaged 16,600 hectares.

Portugal is currently battling multiple fires, with hundreds of firefighters working to bring them under control. In one incident near the Spanish border, five firefighters sustained minor injuries when their vehicle caught fire.

Croatia has faced four wildfires on its Adriatic coast in recent days, with one death and 40 injuries reported. Police have arrested four suspects in connection with the blazes.