Europe is grappling with a series of out-of-control wildfires fueled by a relentless heatwave, forcing evacuations across multiple countries and straining firefighting resources. Record-breaking temperatures and prolonged droughts have created tinderbox conditions, particularly in France, Spain, and Greece, with the Balkans also experiencing significant heat.
In eastern Belgium, a rapidly spreading wildfire has ravaged at least 16 square kilometers (six square miles) of forest in the Hautes Fagnes natural park, near the German border. Firefighters from Belgium and Germany are collaborating to combat the blaze, which has become one of the country's largest on record. Two water bomber aircraft and three helicopters have been deployed under the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism. Authorities in Liege province have advised residents in parts of two municipalities to evacuate due to shifting winds and smoke. The nearby village of Sourbrodt, with approximately 500 residents, is also under threat of evacuation. The Belgian defense minister confirmed the evacuation of a children's summer camp in the region.
This Belgian fire is located not far from another major blaze in western Germany, which has already necessitated the evacuation of about 1,800 people. Firefighters are working to contain fires approaching residential areas in Huertgenwald-Gey.
In northern Greece, over 300 people were evacuated by boat from the seaside town of Siviri as a wildfire consumed nearby forests, sending plumes of smoke into the sky. The coastguard reported that fishing vessels assisted in the evacuation of residents and tourists from the town, located south of Thessaloniki.
Southwest France is also contending with wildfires, with 525 people evacuated from the village of Luglon in the Landes region. This fire is near an area previously devastated by significant blazes earlier in the summer. French aircraft have been seen dousing affected forests with liquid.
Meanwhile, a deadly wildfire swept through homes on Croatia's Dalmatian coast overnight Thursday, resulting in one fatality and injuries to 40 others. Local residents described scenes of chaos as they fled flames outside the town of Omis. One resident reported flames engulfing their car as they attempted to escape.
France has also temporarily shut down six nuclear reactors due to extreme heat and drought, though the utility company EDF stated these shutdowns have had minimal impact on national electricity production and pose no safety risks to the reactors themselves. The extreme weather conditions across the continent continue to pose significant challenges for emergency services and local populations.