As a heatwave fueled fires and prompted the evacuation of thousands in southern Europe, Greece faced a dozen big wildfires on Wednesday, one of which threatened Patras, the country’s third-largest city.
High temperatures that ignite flames and that experts warn are intensifying because to human-induced climate change have withered Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, the Balkans, and Britain this week.
Thousands of firemen backed by the army deployed across Greece, with fire service spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis stating “the situation remains difficult” for “forces waging a tough battle”.
“It’s a cocktail of high temperatures, strong winds… and minimal humidity,” the head of civil protection for Western Greece, Nikos Gyftakis, told public broadcaster ERT.
AFP journalists saw residents and firefighters backed by helicopters frantically attempt to douse flames in scrubland and forests outside Patras, with thick smoke reducing visibility.
Twelve children were evacuated from a hospital in Patras, according to Vathrakogiannis. Local TV images showed the roof of a nearby 17th-century monastery on fire, and 80 elderly residents were evacuated from a retirement facility.
Other fronts were burning on the Aegean island of Chios, which was devastated by a massive wildfire in June that destroyed over 4,000 hectares, and the well-known Ionian tourist islands of Zante and Cephalonia.
The Greek coast guard reported that about 80 people were evacuated from Chios and the area around Patras on Tuesday, while another 20 communities in the western Achaia region were evacuated.
Vathrakogiannis said 71 persons had received medical care, largely in the western town of Preveza and the Patras area.
After Greece requested four water bombers from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to bolster its resources, the main opposition PASOK Socialist party questioned the conservative government’s preparedness for fires that strike every year.
“A fully reformed civil protection system with an emphasis on prevention is required,” PASOK said, identifying a poor coordination of forces and a lack of local emergency plans that made firefighting “extremely challenging”.
Wildfires dominated the news in Spain, where flames have threatened a world heritage Roman mining site in the northwestern region of Castile and Leon.
Nearly 6,000 residents from 26 villages were evacuated from their houses, according to regional authorities, and seven people—four of whom were in serious condition—were brought to hospitals for burn injuries.
Late on Wednesday, Spain requested assistance from the European Union, including the deployment of two water-bombing planes, according to Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska.
Given “weather forecasts” that could exacerbate the fires, he requested European partners to swiftly deploy the planes. He told broadcaster Cadena Ser radio that Spain will also request firefighter deployments if needed.
According to Irene Cortes, head of civil protection for Castile and Leon, “the worst possible breeding ground for this situation” has been produced by bushy undergrowth and the intense heat that has been plaguing Spain for nearly two weeks.
A total of 199 wildfires have scorched nearly 98,784 hectares (244,100 acres) across Spain this year — more than double the area burned during the same period in 2024.
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