Greek Wildfire Forces 500 Tourists to Evacuate by Sea as Europe Heatwave Fans New Blazes
Updated
Updated · Euronews · Aug 14
Greek Wildfire Forces 500 Tourists to Evacuate by Sea as Europe Heatwave Fans New Blazes
3 articles · Updated · Euronews · Aug 14
Summary
Around 500 tourists were evacuated by boat from northern Greece's Halkidiki peninsula after a 3-kilometre fire front, with flames up to 30 metres high, cut off safer escape by road.
More than 200 firefighters, aircraft and helicopters fought the blaze near the resorts of Siviri and Fourka; it was later brought under control, though two firefighters were hospitalised and winds of up to 100 km/h kept crews on alert.
Greece remains on its highest wildfire alert nationwide after an earlier blaze near Athens killed two helicopter crew and burned 110 square kilometres of forest.
France also raised four departments to its top wildfire alert, while a 15-year-old was detained over a July fire near Bordeaux airport that killed two firefighters and deepened a dispute over resources.
In the UK, a fast-moving fire near Stourbridge damaged at least six properties and sent three firefighters and a child to hospital, underscoring how the heatwave is stretching fire services across Europe.