As temperatures heat up across Europe, the risk of wildfires increases
A firefighting helicopter drops water over a wildfire that erupted the previous day in Oreokastro, on the outskirts of Thessaloniki, Greece(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
British holidaymakers visiting Portugal, Greece and Spain are being warned of wildfires as hundreds of firefighters have been battling blazes over the past few days.
Residents in parts of Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city, have been urged by authorities to remain indoors and shut their windows and doors because of toxic smoke from a burning recycling plant that was engulfed by a wildfire. Another major wildfire broke out Sunday afternoon (July 6) west of the Greek capital, Athens.
The fire department said 155 firefighters, backed up by volunteers, specialised teams, 16 water-dropping planes and six helicopters were deployed to battle the blaze burning through pine forest in the Mandra area.
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It comes after the UK Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Greece, warning people that during the warmer months there is a higher risk of wildfires across the territory.
In an alert titled ‘Wildfires in Greece’, a message from the foreign office reads: “There is a high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October. For advice, visit the wildfires section on the Safety and security page.”
Further information on the gov.uk website warns that there is a ‘high risk’ of wildfires between April and October in Greece. Brits visiting the Mediterranean hotspot are urged to register for emergency alerts.
The Foreign Office warns: “Wildfires are highly dangerous and unpredictable. The situation can change quickly.”
And over in Portugal, in the central Vouzela area, more than 1,200 firefighters backed up by nearly 400 vehicles and 15 aircraft tried to put out a blaze that broke out on Thursday, according to the Civil Protection authority. The wildfire had burned across an area of 12,000 hectares (30,000 acres) by Sunday, information from the European Union’s Copernicus satellite mapping agency showed.
The EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid said that Spain sent 120 firefighters and 45 vehicles as reinforcements to Portugal on Friday, while three firefighting aircraft from Italy and Spain were also dispatched to help. By Sunday afternoon, the fire appeared to be calming, with Portuguese media quoting officials as saying it no longer had major active fronts but that some hot spots remained.
And in Spain, a wildfire burning since Friday in the north-eastern Girona region had burned nearly 2,200 hectares (5,400 acres), the EFE news agency said. Catalan Fire Service head of operations Eduard Martinez said the blaze had a perimeter of 40 kilometres (25 miles) and firefighters may not be able to bring it under control on Sunday, EFE said.
Wildfire risk map in Spain on Tuesday (July 7)(Image: AEMET)
On the other side of southern Europe, in Greece, a fast-moving blaze at a recycling plant broke out Saturday evening near the Oraiokastro suburb of Thessaloniki, triggering evacuation alerts for three suburbs and a facility housing 157 people with disabilities.
Strong winds fanned the flames, and around 160 firefighters were deployed to battle the flames through the night until water-dropping aircraft could take off at dawn, the fire department said.
Oraiokastro mayor Pandelis Tsakiris said on Greece’s state broadcaster ERT that several businesses and homes were damaged but a clearer picture would emerge after authorities conduct a full evaluation.
A 76-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of having started the blaze through negligence by generating sparks with his vehicle that set vegetation near the road alight, the fire department said. He was due to appear before a prosecutor on Sunday.
The fire came days after another wildfire in a nearby area killed a 12-year-old boy and his father. Greece suffers frequent, often devastating, wildfires during its hot, dry summers.
In 2018, a blaze east of Athens killed more than 100 people, while a massive fire in 2023, which tore through a remote nature reserve in north-eastern Greece, was the largest wildfire recorded in the EU.
The country has increasingly turned to technology to combat the threat of fires, exacerbated by climate change. It is integrating an array of four satellites, launched into low orbit in May, that will monitor for wildfires.
So far this summer, Greece has been spared the heatwaves that have scorched much of western Europe in recent weeks. But it has still seen dozens of blazes across the country, both on the mainland and the country’s islands.