PARIS: Extreme heat sweeping across southern Europe caused multiple wildfires in France, Greece and Spain on Saturday, prompting large firefighting operations as authorities battled blazes amid soaring temperatures.
The fires came as an intense heatwave continued to grip much of Europe, with temperatures approaching or exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in several countries, increasing the risk of wildfires across the region.
In south-eastern France, a wildfire broke out in the commune of Colomars near Nice in the Alpes-Maritimes department, burning around two hectares of vegetation and threatening about 10 homes before firefighters brought the blaze under control, regional broadcaster France 3 Regions reported.
According to the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service, around 90 firefighters, 30 emergency vehicles and a water-bombing helicopter were deployed to tackle the fire. The helicopter carried out four aerial water drops before crews succeeded in containing the blaze.
Firefighters later said no visible flames remained, while authorities launched an investigation into the cause of the fire.
Several additional fires were also reported in the eastern Haute-Saone department as temperatures neared 40C, local authorities said.
A roadside fire near Hericourt burned around 1.5 hectares before spreading towards a nearby forest. Another blaze in Grandvelle-et-le-Perrenot destroyed approximately 15 hectares of wheat during harvesting operations.
Earlier fires also affected farmland in Dampierre-sur-Salon and a roadside ditch near Vauthiermont. Authorities said no injuries or damage to homes had been reported.
In Greece, firefighters brought a wildfire near Petra in the Boeotia region under control after authorities issued an emergency evacuation alert through the country’s 112 warning system, the state-run Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) reported.
The fire broke out in an agricultural and forested area.
According to AMNA, authorities deployed 45 firefighters, two specialised ground teams, 13 fire engines, six firefighting aircraft and one helicopter to contain the blaze.
A separate wildfire in Spathari on the island of Euboea was also brought under control later on Saturday.
More than 50 firefighters remained at the scene, supported by eight aircraft and three helicopters, to extinguish remaining hotspots and prevent the fire from reigniting, AMNA reported.
In north-eastern Spain, firefighters continued efforts to secure a major wildfire between Tamarite de Litera and Alcampell in Huesca province that has burned more than 4,000 hectares since Thursday, according to public broadcaster RTVE.
The blaze forced the evacuation of about 240 residents from three villages.
Authorities said the fire had been contained and was expected to be stabilised if weather conditions remained favourable.
Officials believe the wildfire was sparked by a harvesting machine.
The regional government of Aragon declared a red wildfire alert for the weekend as extreme temperatures continued to heighten the risk of further fires.
