A large part of Europe is currently suffering from a heat wave. Dry plants also increase the risk of forest fires. The fires have already destroyed large areas and many people are fleeing the flames.
In southwest France, 1,580 hectares of land have been devastated since Thursday. The fire broke out in a dry pine forest and was initially contained on Friday. According to authorities, the fire flared up again on Saturday night.
A total of 650 people had to leave the area, according to the prefect of the Landes department, Gille Clavreul. The flames did not reach any residential buildings. "The fire developed rather well. It only flared up again around 4:30 a.m.," said the head of the emergency services in the department, Arnaud Fabre.
Around 500 firefighters and four firefighting aircraft were deployed to combat the flames near the village of Luglon, almost 100 kilometers south of the city of Bordeaux. "They got it under control with great effort." The cause of the fire is still unclear.
Fire in forest area near the Belgian-German border
In eastern Belgium, a forest fire is spreading rapidly in the High Fens nature reserve near the German border. The flames destroyed at least 1,600 hectares of vegetation by early Saturday afternoon, Belgian authorities told AFP.
The fire broke out on Friday afternoon in the forested area near the German community of Monschau. Reinforcements from all over Belgium and Germany were mobilized. Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said three fire engines were on their way to provide support. The authorities have not yet called for evacuations.
Firefighters in northeastern Spain are also continuing to battle the flames, which, according to authorities, have already destroyed 15,000 hectares of land in the Aragon region and are threatening several towns. More than 1,000 people in 18 places had to leave their homes. A fire near Niebla in the province of Huelva has already destroyed an area of more than 38,000 hectares.
Burnham: Facing climate change
In Great Britain, forest and vegetation fires destroyed several buildings. The town of Stourbridge, southwest of Birmingham, was particularly badly affected. During a visit to the site, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain must confront climate change and accelerate the transition to clean energy.
"I've never seen scenes like this in Britain, where an entire house is burnt out and lying smoking," he said. Burnham, who came to power only last month, has been criticized for not directly addressing climate change sooner, even as Britain has been battling widespread drought, extreme heat and wildfires for weeks.
With 37 fires burning across the country on Friday, the Prime Minister described Britain as a "powder keg" and warned against starting fires outdoors. At the same time, the government imposed a ban on the sale of disposable grills. Burnham announced a meeting with fire departments and acknowledged that the government had not allocated enough resources to fight the wildfires.
Tourists in Croatia are fleeing to emergency shelters
In Croatia, police reported the discovery of a body in burnt bushes near a village near Split. The fire broke out on Thursday evening in a suburb of the coastal town of Omis and spread quickly, fanned by strong winds. According to public broadcaster HRT, the flames were approaching the city center. Parts of Omis were temporarily without power, several cars burned out and buildings were destroyed.
Several people were taken to hospital in Split, and according to hospital information, ten injured people are being treated in the intensive care unit with severe burns, among other things. According to fire officials, the fire near Omis is one of the worst in Croatia's history. Many tourists are staying in emergency accommodation.
Fires also occurred in Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Greece
Fires also raged in other countries in the Balkans due to extreme temperatures and increasing drought. In Montenegro, emergency services have been fighting fires along the coast for days, and fires have also been reported in Albania - near the capital Tirana.
