Yiannis Artopios reports on record-breaking heat and devastating wildfires across Europe, including a major blaze in Greece.
A record-breaking hot and dry summer has gripped Europe, with major wildfires threatening the continent. In Greece, a significant wildfire west of Athens has been exacerbated by strong Meltemi winds, forcing the evacuations of over 1,000 people. Yiannis Artopios, a fire service spokesman, noted that 12 water-dropping planes and 11 helicopters were deployed to combat the flames. The blaze, which originated from a faulty power line, led to the arrests of two contractors for negligent arson. Simultaneously, France has experienced its largest civilian evacuation outside of wartime, with over 224,000 people fleeing a massive wildfire in the Bordeaux region. This fire has burned approximately 420 square kilometers, making it the largest wildfire on record for the country. Meanwhile, the U.K. recorded its driest July in nearly 200 years, with much of the country officially in drought. These extreme weather conditions are linked to Europe being the fastest-warming continent, heating at more than twice the global average since the 1980s.