Europe engulfed in wildfires aamid record heatwave

Sunday 17 August 2025 - 17:45

Europe faces widespread destruction as wildfires fueled by an ongoing heatwave continue to rage across multiple countries, including Spain, Portugal, Greece, Albania, and Turkey.

In Spain, where the heatwave enters its third week, wildfires are concentrated in the northwest and western regions. The army has been deployed to assist firefighting efforts. Authorities have issued continued heat alerts until Monday, with extreme temperatures significantly increasing fire risks. In Portugal, the fires claimed at least one life last Friday.

Turkey evacuated more than 250 people overnight in Çanakkale province after new wildfires broke out. Fires also affect Greece, especially near Patras and the island of Chios, where eight aircraft have been deployed to fight the flames.

Albania is among the hardest-hit countries. A wildfire in Delvine destroyed homes and a cemetery, and an 80-year-old man died after accidentally starting a fire in his garden that spread to neighboring properties, leaving eight injured.

Thousands of firefighters remain mobilized across the Iberian Peninsula, recalling the devastating 2017 fires that claimed hundreds of lives. In Portugal, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa confirmed the death of Carlos Dâmaso, former mayor of Guarda, while combating a fire in his municipality.

Authorities in all affected countries continue to coordinate firefighting operations, deploying helicopters, water-bombing aircraft, and hundreds of personnel to contain the rapidly spreading flames.