Southern Europe battles deadly wildfires, sweltering heat wave

ISTANBUL

Deadly wildfires and extreme heat continued to grip parts of southern Europe on Wednesday, forcing mass evacuations, straining emergency services, and setting new temperature records.

In Portugal, Civil Protection said a forest fire that broke out Tuesday in Ermidas-Sado, Santiago do Cacem, had entered the resolution phase, the national news agency Lusa reported.

However, the national meteorological institute extended an orange heat alert until Thursday in several inland regions due to persistent high temperatures.

More than 110 municipalities in the north, central interior, and Algarve remain at maximum fire risk.

France kept five departments, Aude, Isere, Rhone, Drome, and Ardeche, on red heat wave alert until Thursday morning, with tropical nights and temperatures exceeding 42°C recorded in some areas, the French news broadcaster BFM TV reported.

Firefighters battling the Aude blaze, now under control, reported exhaustion after a week of operations.

Cooling stations and hydration measures have been deployed for crews. Meteo-France also placed 12 departments on orange alert for thunderstorms.

In Spain, at least 16 major fires were active late Tuesday, according to the Interior Ministry, with only one stabilized, Rai news reported.

The most severe include the Chandrexa de Queixa fire in Ourense, which has burned over 3,500 hectares of land, and the Molezuelas de la Carballeda blaze in Zamora and Leon that has forced 4,300 evacuations and claimed a volunteer firefighter’s life.

Fires in Castilla-La Mancha prompted lockdowns and road closures, while Asturias declared emergency level two in Cangas de Narcea and requested military support.

Albania is also facing one of its worst wildfire crises in years, with the Defense Ministry reporting 30 active blazes nationwide.

Fires have claimed the life of an 80-year-old man in Gramsh and forced evacuations in multiple regions, including Delvine, where flames threatened oil wells and a hospital, Dosja reported.

Army helicopters and international assistance from the UAE, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia are aiding firefighting efforts.