Wildfires have been raging across southern Europe, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes and prompting officials to ban spectators from a stage of the Tour de France cycling race. The fires, fueled by wind, drought, and heat, have affected Portugal, Greece, France, and Spain.
Portugal Battles Blazes
In Portugal, firefighters worked to prevent flames from advancing towards the village of Cercosa during a wildfire in Vouzela. The National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) said more than 1,100 firefighters, supported by approximately 360 ground vehicles and 11 aerial firefighting assets, were deployed to combat the blaze. Local people and firefighters battled the flames together.
Greece: Toxic Smoke Blankets Thessaloniki
In Greece, a wildfire on the outskirts of Thessaloniki, the country's second-largest city, blanketed the city with toxic smoke on Sunday after setting two factories ablaze, according to the Greek fire service. A firefighting helicopter dropped water on a fire in Oreokastro, where flames ignited in a ravine within a mountainous area on the evening of 4 July and spread quickly, affecting several businesses and prompting evacuations in nearby settlements.
France: Tour de France Impacted
In France, a wildfire in the Pyrenees-Orientales department near Trévillach spread rapidly overnight, burning through nearly 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) by the morning. More than 580 firefighters were deployed on the ground to fight the blaze. A Dash 8-Q400MR Fireguard aircraft of the civil security dropped retardant over the fire. The fires led officials to ban spectators from a stage of the Tour de France. Firefighters also battled blazes near Beziers, where a firefighting plane sprayed water onto a wildfire near the A9 motorway.
Spain: Evacuations and Lockdowns
In Spain, a wildfire in Catalonia near Calonge prompted authorities to order the lockdown of residents and tourists after the fire broke out in the municipality of La Bisbal d’Empordá and spread rapidly. A man tried to put out flames as the fire spread near a residential area. In the eastern Castellón province, hundreds of people were evacuated after a blaze spread during the country's second heat wave of the summer.
