Due to the extreme heat, forest fires are raging in many places in Southern Europe – long-term drought and air temperature above 40 degrees unfortunately create ideal conditions for the spread of flames. Fires broke out in several places popular with tourists, so resorts and hotels have been evacuated, flights to many destinations have been canceled, Euronews reports. In which areas should travelers be cautious due to wildfires?
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Greece
Fires are raging on several Greek islands and mass evacuations are ongoing. On the island of Rhodes, the fire has engulfed 10 to 20 percent of the island. About 20 thousand people, including tourists, have been evacuated as the forest fires reached the seaside villages of Kyotari, Genadi, Pefki, Linda, Lardos.
Fires are also raging on the island of Corfu; Evia and Crete are on high alert and ready to evacuate if necessary. To the west of the Greek capital Athens, fires have been raging for several days, destroying hundreds of houses. Strong gusts of wind have fueled the flames, which have now reached the outskirts of the city.
Italy
Wildfires are raging in several areas on the island of Sicily, with the island’s capital, Palermo, badly hit. The city’s airport has reopened after a brief closure earlier in the week, but other public transport services, such as buses and trains, are still running irregularly.
Flames are also raging around Catania, Trapani, Syracuse and Messina, evacuation operations are underway. Air quality in the affected areas is poor, electricity and water supply has been interrupted in some places.
In the southwestern Calabria region, wildfires have spread to several areas, including Crotone and Catanzaro. Several roads are closed in the region.
More than 2,000 tourists were evacuated from the seaside town of Vieste in the nearby Calarbia region of Apulia, while further south in the Salento region, around a hundred people were forced to leave San Cataldo beach in Lecce as flames approached.
Croatia
On the evening of Tuesday, July 25, news broke of a fire a few kilometers south of the touristy Dubrovnik. Strong winds and rising temperatures continue to cause wildfires to spread rapidly.
Firefighters are battling the blaze, which they say is under control, but there is a risk that the wind will pick up again, creating an unpredictable and dangerous situation.
Spain
On July 25, a fire broke out on the island of Gran Canaria, forcing the evacuation of several hundred residents and closing three of the island’s roads. The fires are located in the Caldera de Los Marteles area and are currently not affecting the island’s beaches and seaside resorts.
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Mainland Spain is currently unaffected by wildfires.
Portugal
More than 500 firefighters are battling a fire near the Portuguese capital of Lisbon. The flames forced about 90 people to leave their homes and evacuate 800 farm animals.
Flames have engulfed the southern coastal city of Cascais in Portugal. The fire was brought under control on Wednesday, July 26, but firefighters are still on alert as strong winds could rekindle it, and there are fears the flames could spread further throughout the nearby Sintra-Cascais Natural Park.
2023-07-28 12:51:40
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