By AFP, Reuters and The Associated Press<\/p>\n
Published On 14 Aug 202614 Aug 2026<\/p>\n
Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate across Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Croatia and Greece due to intense wildfires that have torn through villages and woodlands.<\/p>\n
The blazes follow successive heatwaves<\/a> this year that have scorched approximately 500,000 hectares (1.24 million acres) of land across the European Union.<\/p>\n Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list<\/p>\n In Croatia, strong winds drove a wildfire into parts of the tourist town of Omis on Friday, enveloping settlements and forest areas while damaging buildings and cars.<\/p>\n Croatian authorities said on Friday that they found the remains of one charred body in the burned-out area of the town.<\/p>\n Another 40 people were treated at a nearby hospital in Split, with at least seven in serious condition. In total, some 2,000 people were evacuated from villages near Croatia\u2019s coast.<\/p>\n Croatia\u2019s fire chief, Slavko Tucakovic, described the blaze as \u201cone of the worst in Croatia\u2019s history\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was frightening even to watch. Many houses, cafes, restaurants, cars, and boats that were on dry land were damaged,\u201d he told national radio.<\/p>\n During a visit to the area, Croatia\u2019s Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic stressed the dangers of the fire and praised the efforts of the firefighters.<\/p>\n \u201cThis fire spread at lightning speed,\u201d he told reporters. \u201cWhat the firefighters managed to save is truly a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n Evacuations in Germany, England, France, Greece<\/p>\n After the UK recorded its hottest day of the year on Thursday, firefighters spent Friday tackling fires across the West Midlands, in central England, that led to thousands of emergency calls and forced people to flee from burning homes. Nineteen people were hospitalised, the ambulance service said.<\/p>\n In the town of Stourbridge, where a huge blaze started on Thursday, TV footage showed fires consuming houses, with many left without roofs as flames burned inside the charred walls. About 20 to 30 homes were completely destroyed, Stourbridge MP Cat Eccles told the BBC.<\/p>\n A woman who was evacuated from her home in Stourbridge said police knocked on her door and urged her to leave immediately.<\/p>\n \u201cThey thought the fire was changing directions, and they didn\u2019t know which direction it was going in,\u201d Jane Baxter told BBC Radio. \u201cSo, it was literally \u2018grab what you need and get out.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, in western Germany, authorities ordered about 1,800 people to evacuate after a wildfire spread towards the village of Gey, near the border with Belgium.<\/p>\n