Raging wildfires fanned by a heatwave and strong winds continued across southern Europe on Wednesday (August 13). Thousands have been evacuated as continuing high temperatures make the situation difficult for authorities to get under control.

Wildfires have broken out across southern Europe, fueled by a severe heatwave and strong winds. In Greece, fires near Patras and on the islands of Chios and Kefalonia have forced the evacuation of numerous settlements and threatened homes, farms, and factories. Spain has also been heavily affected, with a volunteer firefighter losing his life in Castile and León and over 5,000 people evacuated from villages. The Spanish weather agency has warned that nearly the entire country is at extreme or very high risk of fire, with suspicions that some blazes may have been deliberately set. Albania is facing several major wildfires, with authorities remaining alert despite some evacuees returning home. The ongoing heatwave, with temperatures reaching up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit, is making firefighting efforts more difficult and is expected to persist, marking one of the longest heatwaves on record.

Wildfires fanned by heatwave rage across Europe, forcing evacuations

Wildfires fanned by a heat wave and strong winds continued to rage across southern Europe on Wednesday, as houses, farms and factories were burned and thousands of residents and tourists were evacuated. A wildfire near the city of Patras in western Greece prompted the evacuation of at least 25 settlements, with the fire setting alight a cement factory and sweeping through olive groves and forests. On the Greek islands of Chios in the east and Kefalonia in the west, both popular with tourists, authorities told people to move to safety as fires spread. In Spain, a volunteer firefighter died from severe burns fighting fire in the central Castile and León region. Firefighters hosed down blazing houses and warehouses in villages, where more than 5,000 people were evacuated. The country's state weather agency warned almost all of the country was at extreme or very high risk of fire. Spain's environment minister said many fires were suspected to be intentionally caused, but added it was too early to say how many. In Albania, several major wildfires are burning across the country. In the southern city of Dalvina, evacuees returned to their homes, but authorities remained vigilant. Attempts to douse the fires have been hampered by a heatwave across large parts of the continent. Spain was in its 10th day of soaring heat that peaked on Tuesday, with temperatures as high as 113 degrees Fahrenheit. Conditions are expected to last till Monday, making it one of the longest on record.

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Jerusalem

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Ukraine Invasion

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Washington

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Madrid

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Breakdown