Europe is facing a wildfire crisis across Greece, France, and Spain following record-breaking summer heatwaves and little rain, conditions scientists say are exacerbated by climate change. While France has managed to stop the spread of its blazes, including one scar four times the size of Paris, and Spain's situation is improving, Greece continues to struggle with multiple fires and high winds.
In Greece, gale-force winds have driven flames deeper into the western Attica region around Athens, threatening villages and an industrial district outside Megara. These violent gusts have forced evacuations and hampered firefighting aircraft from collecting water from the sea. Prime Minister Mitsotakis has warned of extremely difficult days ahead as wildfires devastate swathes of forest and agricultural land and destroy dozens of homes, with one expert referring to the situation as a megafire.
Tragedy struck west of Athens in the Psatha area when two Bell firefighting helicopters collided midair. Video footage showed one aircraft striking the other from above, sending it crashing in flames to the ground. Two crew members died in the incident, while the two crew members from the second helicopter were rescued alive. Investigations into the cause of the collision have begun.
Firefighters in Greece have faced dozens of fires daily due to violent winds blowing for most of the week. Three firefighters have died this week as the country continues to battle blazes on multiple fronts. While France and Spain have seen their fires stabilize, the risk of flare-ups remains high across the region.