Europe wildfires spread as record heat triggers evacuations across continent

Firefighters across Europe battled fast-moving wildfires as record heat and drought drove evacuations. The crisis underscored how climate-linked extremes are straining homes, power systems and emergency services.

In Short

• France evacuated Luglon residents as fires spread through parched woodlands
• UK blazes destroyed dozens of homes and sent firefighters to hospital
• Spain moved medieval royal remains as flames threatened a historic monastery

Firefighters across Europe battled multiple wildfires on Friday as a fresh wave of record-breaking heat scorched a large part of the continent and dry ground made conditions worse. The high temperatures have been linked to human-caused climate change, with several countries that are more used to long cold seasons struggling to cope.

The fires and heat disrupted daily life in several countries, forcing evacuations, damaging homes and forests, and straining power and emergency services. Major incidents were reported in France, the UK, Spain, Germany, Croatia, Albania and Greece, while Belgium and the Netherlands also faced extreme heat and drought concerns.

In France, which is having its driest year on record, a new fire spread through woodlands overnight in the Landes region on the south-west coast. The regional administration said more than 500 people were evacuated from their homes in the town of Luglon as hundreds of firefighters were sent to the area. It was one of several fires burning forests around France this week, including in usually cooler and wetter regions in the north and in Brittany. Last month, a major fire near Bordeaux destroyed forests and forced a quarter of a million people from their homes.

France has also shut down six nuclear reactors in recent days because of extreme heat and drought, and after a mass of jellyfish washed up outside one power plant on the English Channel coast, utility company EDF said. Large numbers of jellyfish have been appearing on many French beaches as sea temperatures remain unusually warm. EDF said the shutdowns had only a minimal effect on electricity production and that the extreme weather posed no safety risk to the reactors.

In the UK, a large blaze in the central English town of Stourbridge destroyed homes after breaking out on Thursday. Television footage showed houses burning, with roofs gone and flames still visible inside blackened walls. Stourbridge lawmaker Cat Eccles told the BBC that about 20 to 30 homes had been completely destroyed. Jane Baxter, who was evacuated from her home, told BBC Radio: "They thought the fire was changing directions, and they didn't know which direction it was going in. So, it was literally grab what you need and get out." Simon Tuhill, chief fire officer of West Midlands Fire Service, said an investigation would be launched, but the fire was believed to have started in grassland before spreading to nearby homes.

Nineteen people and six firefighters were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation and other injuries from multiple wildfires in the West Midlands region. In nearby Stoke-on-Trent, a 23-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman were arrested on Friday on suspicion of arson after a large grass fire spread quickly. The Met Office said 38.1 degrees Celsius was recorded in west London on Thursday, making it the hottest day of the year. Temperatures eased slightly on Friday, but many parts of the country have had little or no rain for weeks, and this July was the driest in England and Wales since records began in 1836.

In Spain, authorities on Thursday night moved the remains of three 11th Century kings from a monastery in the north-eastern Aragón region because of a nearby wildfire. Regional authorities said the remains were taken to a museum about 80 kilometres south of the 10th-century San Juan de la Pea monastery, which was unharmed on Friday. Paintings, liturgical objects and the clothes of a notable 18th-century Spanish count were also removed. The fire was still not contained by midday Friday and about 800 residents had been evacuated. A separate and much larger wildfire in the southern province of Huelva has burned more than 300 square kilometres and also forced evacuations.

In Germany, all 1,800 residents of the village of Gey in the west of the country were evacuated after a wildfire in the nearby Hrtgen forest threatened homes as winds shifted. Local authorities said nearly 300 hectares of forest were burning on Friday morning. German news agency dpa reported that unexploded World War II ordnance in the forest was slowing firefighting work. The fire moved to within 300 metres of Gey, near the Belgian border, and the cause was still unknown. Separately, the Robert Koch Institute said on Thursday that Germany had already recorded more heat-related deaths this year than in all of 2018, with an estimated 12,500 deaths between January 1 and August 2.

In Croatia, one person was killed and 14 others were taken to hospital after a fire burned overnight near the coastal town of Omis and forced more than 1,000 people to leave their homes. Early on Friday, seven of those hospitalised remained in life-threatening condition. Police found the body while searching the burned area. The fire broke out late on Thursday in a suburb of Omis and spread quickly in strong winds. Regional maritime authorities said 194 people, including children, were rescued from the sea and from boats as they tried to escape. Firefighters put out the blaze by Friday morning, while other crews in aircraft were sent farther south to the Peljesac peninsula, where another wildfire broke out overnight.

Albania has been dealing with dozens of wildfires in recent weeks, with 11 active fires reported across the country on Friday. The biggest blaze was in the Gure-Lure area, where authorities said the perimeter near homes had been brought under control. Three people have been prosecuted over that fire, which burned through Lura National Park, on suspicion of failing to take steps to protect the area. In northern Greece, authorities said more than 300 holidaymakers and residents were evacuated by sea on Thursday after a wildfire swept through a pine forest and threatened homes by the coast.

Belgium was expected to record its highest temperature of the summer on Friday, with the mercury set to reach 37 degrees Celsius in Brussels. Temperatures were also forecast to hit 37 degrees Celsius in the neighbouring Netherlands, which is facing severe drought and water shortages in some areas. Dutch authorities have not declared a water crisis as rain is expected in the coming days. Across Europe, the heat and fires continued to force evacuations, damage property and stretch emergency services in several countries.

With PTI Inputs

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